Trouble
by screamsevi
Summary: Sequel to Stupid Little Devil: Avery's secret is slowly being revealed to those Dumbledore trusts. The more people who know, the more danger she's in. How much longer does she have before You-Know-Who finds out about her hidden powers?
1. Prologue

Note: This chapter is from third person point of view.

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It only took him two weeks.

Two weeks to contact the majority of the old Order of the Phoenix. Two weeks to convince Sirius that number 12 Grimmauld Place should be the headquarters for the rebellious group. Two weeks to persuade the Weasley family (minus Charlie who was staying in Romania and Percy who was currently on the outs with his kin) to live in the house with Sirius for the summer.

After the red-headed family had moved in, Dumbledore immediately sat them down, informing them that under no circumstances could they tell Harry anything about what was going on in Grimmauld Place. He also took the time to explain about Avery and the prophecy...

A week after that found Dumbledore back again, though this time, Minerva and Severus were by his side. The group of adults convened in the kitchen, locking the children out of the room. Remus sat besides Sirius, staying alert just in case his old friend decided he'd had enough and wanted to kill Severus. Mr. Weasley, on the other hand, was helping Mrs. Weasley make tea.

"We have a problem," Dumbledore said at last, sitting besides the werewolf and Bill, the eldest Weasley boy. He gestured towards the spy. "Severus."

Snape fought the urge to roll his eyes at the dramatics. Why couldn't the old fool just tell them himself? Speaking in a pinched tone, he began. "The Dark Lord has heard tale of some disturbing news from a contact within the ministry," he said shortly. "To put it in simple terms, he is after the prophecy concerning him and Potter."

Molly Weasley raised an eyebrow as the kettle began to whistle. "But what good would that do for him?"

Dumbledore took over. "We can assume he's looking for a clue, something that will help him destroy Harry."

"Then he can't get it," Sirius said, banging his fist on the table. "We'll have to retrieve it first-"

"Don't be so rash, Black," Snape hissed. "It's not that easy-"

"To hell, it's not!" Sirius turned to Arthur, causing the poor man to spill the cup of tea he was bringing Minerva. "You work in the ministry. Can't you-"

"A prophecy can only be retrieved by those which the prophecy is about," Remus rattled off, attempting to diffuse the tension with his knowledge. "Surely you know this-"

"That's all very well," Dumbledore interrupted. Silence fell throughout the room, save for the sounds of Molly pouring the tea, as everyone turned to face the headmaster. "But I'm afraid we have bigger concerns." Dumbledore stood, pacing slowly around the table, his face contemplative, as if he were deep in thought. "You all remember what I've told you about Avery?"

The inhabitants of the room murmured their affirmatives. Arthur, Molly, Bill, Minerva, Severus, Remus, Sirius... They were the trusted seven, the people Dumbledore knew would be able to keep Avery's... situation a secret for as long as necessary. "If Voldemort-" the room shuddered as one. "-Is to look into the retrieval of Harry's prophecy too closely... if he starts looking through the archives... He may start to recall the legend of the Ultimate Power. And if that were to happen, perhaps he'll remember the dark shadow that fired spells at him in the graveyard. And from there-"

"It's one quick jump to realizing that Mr. Potter's newest friend is probably the one he seeks," Minerva concluded.

Dumbledore nodded gravely at her. "Exactly."

Silence permeated the room, as the eight wizards processed the information. Finally, Remus spoke. "So... What do we do?"

Dumbledore set his jaw, before grimly saying, "We bring her here. Immediately."

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Hey everyone! So here it is, the premiere of Stupid Little Devil's sequel! The first actual chapter should be up sometime next weekend, so watch out for that! Please make me an incredibly happy person and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it!

Lurve,

-Selene


	2. Grimmauld Place

The music pulsed around us, the crowd roaring as the beat morphed, an old favorite coming on...

_Me and Kid Sensation and that home away from home_

_In the Black Benz Limo with the cellular phone_

I launched myself through the air, throwing a back handspring in perfect time with Darcy. _Boom cah. Boom boom cah._ The beat rang throughout my body as I gripped my dark green camouflage pants, jerking my back. I'd feel that tomorrow...

_Everybody's looking if you're jealous turn around_

_The AMG kick keeps us closer to the ground_

The crowd roared as Ty, Anderson, Darcy and I spontaneously jumped into center leaps, choreographed perfectly to hit on the 808. We were nearing the end of our hip hop competition piece, and as the music spiked again, Darcy and I hit our heads to the right, our hair flipping to the beat...

_Cause the 808 kick drum makes the girlies get dumb_

_We're rolling Rainier, and the jealous wanna get some_

Cut to the chorus, the transition flowing easily with the extra beats Tyler added last minute. One last flip... One last turn... And there it was, a single body roll away from the end of the dance, from what we hoped to be a first place finish...

_My posse's on Broadway_

We held the pose, the four of us savoring what would be our last time competing with this hip hop mix. Never again would Friction get the opportunity to win recognition from our hip hop infusion number. It was a bittersweet feeling, the melancholy of an old friend moving away filling me as I panted, the spotlight still on us. And that was it. Our moment was up.

The lights dimmed and our competition trekked onstage to take their positions. Our quartet, meanwhile, traipsed offstage, down the stairs, and out the side door, exiting the auditorium and emerging back into the hallway filled with other teams waiting for their turn to advertise their skill.

"I think that went well," Ty said at last, slipping one arm around my waist and another around Darcy's. "The Michael Jackson section seemed to be the crowd favorite."

Anderson grabbed Darcy's hand, pulling his girlfriend away from Tyler and towards him as he gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. "Another year, another end to the competition season."

And so it was. Friction, our self-choreographed, self-run dance crew, was finished for the year. No longer would I spend my summer days waking up at five am to rehearse for Nationals. No more would Darcy be a slave driver of a boss, yelling and screaming to get us to cooperate. No, it was all over.

For this year, anyway.

"I don't know about you," I said, a small smile creeping onto my face as I leaned on Ty's shoulder. "But I'm starving. What do you say? Now that we're done, how about we get some Chinese food before the award ceremony." The ceremony wasn't due to start for a few hours.

"Sounds good," Ty said, letting go of me as we reached the spot we had placed our bags. He bent down to grab his. "I think we'll just..."

But that was all I heard from him. For standing over his shoulder, wearing blue jeans and a black polo shirt that was much too big for him stood a red headed boy with long hair... I blinked. No. It couldn't be... "Bill?"

Tyler, Darcy, and Anderson turned as one to see who I was talking to, probably figuring I was conversing with another one of the competition kids. The redhead smiled, walking towards me, and it was only then that I realized he had a companion with him, a man with brown hair and a scarred face...

"Hello, Avery," Bill said, coming over to me with a nervous smile. "We saw you onstage. That was... wow."

"Bill, what are you doing here?" I was happy to see him, though I noticed that where Fred and George would have come running over to me and thrown their arms around me, Bill kept his distance, stopping a few feet away.

Ouch.

He opened his mouth, glancing nervously around him, as if he wasn't comfortable in the American muggle world (and come to think of it, he probably wasn't), but Ty spoke first. "Hi. I'm Tyler Bauer, Avery's friend. This is Darcy and Anderson." He held out his hand and Bill shook it, grateful for something to grab on to. "You're one of the Weasleys, aren't you?"

Bill nodded, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "How'd you guess?"

"I had a hunch." Ty turned to the other guy, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Here Bill and company were attempting to talk to _me_, and yet Ty was taking over. "And you are?"

"Remus Lupin," the man said, once again holding a hand out toward Tyler and not me. "You go to Morning Shots, do you not?"

Ty nodded, a contemplative look overtaking his features as he spoke slowly. "Does this have anything to do with... You-Know-Who?"

The man named Remus nodded. "We should talk to you and Avery in private. It's urgent."

* * *

"Now? You want me to leave with you _now?_"

The four of us were outside of the convention center, Bill and I sitting on a concrete bench as Ty and Remus conversed in front of it. After they'd dragged us out of the auditorium, Remus and Bill had divulged the fact that Dumbledore thought I might be in danger, and therefore needed to go back to England with them.

"You need to leave Los Angeles as soon as possible," Bill said, glancing over at me from the corner of the bench he was perched on. "You-Know-Who could learn about you at any time."

"Yeah, I got that part. But couldn't you have waited until _after_ the award ceremony? Do you seriously want me to just bail on my team, to let them take the win or the loss without me?"

"Go," Tyler said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'll lie to Darcy and Anderson for you." I opened my mouth, trying to protest, but he cut me off. "You have to be safe," he said firmly. A playful grin slid onto his face. "After all, who else is going to save Potter's ass?"

I rolled my eyes. Ever since I'd told him of the graveyard incident, Ty hadn't shut up about how I was the new protector of the wizarding world's savior. Truth be told, it was kind of embarrassing. Ty was one of my best friends, an extension of me, and because of this, whenever he praised me, it felt like I was singing my own accolades.

"it's not that simple, Ty," I reminded him. "My parents are thrilled to have me home. I can't just up and leave!" Not to mention the fact that I didn't _want_to just up and leave.

"We shall explain everything to them," Remus assured us. "They'll understand. Your safety is the most important thing, after all-"

"But I just spent an entire school year away from them," I protested. "Surely you can allow me the summer-"

"Not if you want a guarantee to live," Bill said, crossing his arms over his chest as if he were Britney Spears' bodyguard.

"Even if I did go with you, that wouldn't be a guarantee," I snapped. 'Who knows? Maybe I'll get some deadly hate mail from the Slytherins. It seems like something they'd do."

"Avery," Ty said, leaning down to place both of his hands on my shoulders. He shook me, forcing my head to snap back and my eyes to bore into his. "You have to go." I bit my lip, forcing my gaze away from his. It was as a crow flew overhead, cawing out to us that I finally conceded.

* * *

My parents were pissed.

It was unsurprising, really. Maybe in England guardians were desperate enough to dispose of their children into boarding schools without a second glance, but here... No, my parents actually _wanted_ to spend time with me. And, truth be told, I wanted to bond with my family as well. My mom, my dad, my little sister Candi who would just be entering high school... How could I let the time pass me by, the memories fading in my mind as the tangible family of mine grew fainter and fainter in my mind's eye?

My dad and Remus got into a doozy of an argument over the situation, my father yelling and cursing (who do you think I take after?) as Remus just stood by, waiting for my father to calm down so he could explain the situation fully with an air of tranquility that radiated off of him.

What felt like hours later, I was finally given the okay, my dad nodding curtly to me before stalking out of the room in a huff, leaving me to go upstairs and pack by myself. Remus said he'd wait downstairs with my mother, but Bill offered me a hand in gathering my stuff.

I silently climbed the curved steps of our cream carpeted staircase, placing my left hand delicately on the dark wooden banister I would hang on as a child. And so I would leave once more, visiting only occasionally for another year. Was this how it was going to be from now on? Would I soon leave my home life altogether?

I entered my room with Bill at my heels, throwing the door open with a _bang_ as the clutter strewn haphazardly on the floor came into view. I sighed. If I had known I'd have to leave right away, I wouldn't have bothered to unpack...

I wrinkled my nose, looking around the pigsty I called my room as I tried to find a clean pair of jeans. I was still in the sweats and overdone make-up from competition this morning, and I was starting to feel a little trampy. If I was really going to leave, I'd want to change first.

Bill glanced hesitantly at me, almost as if he was about to reach out, but at the last moment he changed his mind... "I know you're upset," he said, a soft tremor of sympathy running through his voice. "But this is the only way. Can't you see it?"

I located a pair of black boot-cut jeans from under my Potions textbook. I bent to pick them up. "Can I see it? Yes, of course I can. Does that mean I have to be happy about it? No. No way in hell." I held up the jeans, figuring I'd keep the dance team jacket on for now. "You mind turning around?"

In a flash, Bill's back was to me, a red color tinging his ears as I pulled off my sweats. "I know you don't want to leave," he said, his voice cracking a bit near the end. "But it's all for the best. You'll be much safer in London."

I zipped the jeans with a flourish. "That's not the point. I've been home for two weeks, Bill. That's it. Two weeks. Jeez. I thought I'd have the whole summer with my family, my friends. But now..." I shook my head. "You can turn around."

He turned slowly, almost as if he thought I was bluffing, as if I'd be standing there stark naked, ready to steal his innocence. "It's not as if you'll be gone for good. You can still come back."

"Oh, you're allowing me to visit my own home? How thoughtful," I snapped, throwing myself onto the bed behind me. I ran my hands over my face in distress and groaned "This is a nightmare."

Silence permeated the air, and I thought that perhaps I'd scared him off. _Ah well,_ I mused. _It's not like he was showing much interest, anyway_. At least, those were my interpretations of his actions until he sat besides me on the bed, gently bringing one of his hands on top of my own.

He pulled my hands away from my face. "It's not that bad, Avery. It'll be okay."

I quirked an eyebrow in confusion. Yeah I was bummed about leaving home, and true I was annoyed about the whole "safety" issue, but what was going_on_ with this guy? His character was so inconsistent... I scoffed. "You just keep giving me whiplash, you know?"

He blinked, sliding his hand away from my own. "What are you talking about?"

I sat up, shaking my head as I went. "Your mood just keeps flopping. At the third task, we got along great. Afterwards, you were a little hesitant due to the whole Ultimate Power thing, but you still talked to me like a person. Today you've kept your distance. Now? Now you're being all buddy-buddy with me again. Lucy, you've got some 'splaining to do."

He looked taken aback at that last line. "I beg your pardon?"

I sighed. One day I'd sit down all of the wizards in the world and make them watch muggle TV. "Never mind. Just... tell me why. Why are you moody and constantly changing and... Well, bipolar, really." Hmm, could that be it? Did he have a disorder?

The tips of his ears began to grow red again as he looked down. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please. You do to. Come on. Spill. What's going on?"

"Nothing's going-"

"Seriously Bill," I said, standing, all traces of humor disappearing from my eyes. "You're talking to a master bull-shitter here. I know when someone is lying. Now if _you_ don't tell me what's causing you to act like a confused child, then I'll peer into the future and find the reason myself."

He laughed suddenly, the soft chuckle vibrating throughout the room as he raised his eyes to meet mine. "You know I'm six years older than you, right?"

I made a face. "Your point?"

He looked at me as if I was on crack. "I'm six years older than you. Merlin, you're still a child!"

Oh. It was _that_ sort of thing.

I sat down besides him on the bed again, suddenly feeling so foolish for standing. "You do know that six years isn't that much older."

"It's old enough." He dropped his gaze, his eyes coming to rest on the palms of his upturned hands. "When I saw you dancing today, I realized just how intriguing you are. How I'd love to learn more about you, and talk with you, and maybe even fall in love with you." Love? Was he talking about a possible love? Hadn't we just met? Wasn't it a little too soon for that? He shook his head. "But you're so young. I shouldn't be having such... desirable thoughts about someone so young. I shouldn't want to watch you dance, to hear you laugh, to wish to hear your theories on magic... But I do. And it's wrong."

This had gotten real weird, real fast. I barely knew the guy, and already we were having the should-we-date speech. Talk about an awkward conversation. Only in the wizarding world... "You do know that six years is next to nothing, right? It's within the seven year rule, and everything," I said, referencing the unspoken muggle rule saying anyone over seven years older or younger than you is off limits.

He chuckled, his gaze still drawn away from my own. "The wizarding world is a lot more conservative than the muggle one. Perhaps it's because of the witch hunts in the Puritan times..." He chuckled again, turning his head at last to face mine. "But they frown upon such promiscuous relationships."

I shrugged. "So screw 'em."

The corners of his lips twitched at my blatant answer. "Yes, but, why would I want to bring that wrath upon us if I don't know how everything will turn out?"

This amazed me. Here Bill was, attempting to figure out the future, to forego what was probably the best part about being young (ie having a social life) in order to save face. "Bill," I said calmly. "That's what dating is for. _Dating_ is when you learn about others and see if they're right for you."

He reached forward, grabbing one of my hands gently in his own larger one. "It's not that simple, Avery. See, in the wizarding world, we tend to all marry fairly young. Most don't date much."

I pondered this for a split second before making a face. "Seriously? You're conservative but you all marry young? How does _that _work?"

"Don't ask me; I wish I knew myself."

I nodded, my eyes glazing over a bit as I thought, staring off into the distance unseeingly. Well at least this explained his 'love' talk. Finally, I turned to him. "We have the whole summer, you know," I pointed out. "Let's face it. I probably won't be leaving whatever hidey-hole you lot shove me in very often. We might as well take the time to get to know each other. If we last through the summer, than we're good. If not... Well, no harm, no foul, right? At least you won't be reprimanded by the sort-of conservative wizards of England." He hesitated a bit. I could tell he wanted to say yes, that he was willing to try, but I also knew that worries still plagued his mind... I tried to ease the deal. "We can just start with the get-to-know-you thing," I reminded him. "It doesn't have to be all or nothing just yet."

This seemed to resonate with him, as at last he nodded. "Then we'll learn more about each other," he said finally. "We'll see if we're compatible that way."

I couldn't resist. "Yep. Just as millions of American teenagers do everyday," I quipped, mocking his ridiculous worries.

He laughed again, that same soft chuckle that vibrated through his body as he stood up, offering me a hand. "Come on," he said, his mood suddenly brighter, just as it was the day I'd first met him. "You need to start packing."

* * *

An hour later found the three of us walking the block from my house to Ty's so we could use the Bauer family fireplace to get to the safe-house, Bill and Remus carrying my trunk in between them. The air was warm within the Bauer abode, and the fire did nothing to cool it down.

Remus threw the powder into the fire, turning the blaze an emerald green as he faced me. "Here," he said, handing me a strip of parchment. "Read it, and then tear it up."

Curious, I took the slip, glancing down at the words written in a neat cursive: _The Order of the Phoenix can be located at Number 12 Grimmauld Place._ I blinked, utterly confused by the sentence. "The Order of the Phoenix? What- Hey!"

Remus had snatched the paper from my hands, ripping it half with a sudden motion. "It's a secret," he said stiffly, leaning down a bit so his scarred face was in my own. He pulled back. "Right, then. Now step into the fire and say 'Number 12 Grimmauld Place.'"

"And why would I-"

"Avery, just do it," Bill said with a roll of his eyes. "We'll be right behind you with your things, and all."

Well _that _was certainly a persuasive argument. Nevertheless, I stepped into the fire and called out the street address, shutting my eyes as the world began to spin before me, Bill and Remus disappearing from view.

Moments later, the whirling stopped and I jerked to a halt, twirling my hands a bit in an effort to keep my balance. Opening my eyes as I stepped from the fireplace, I noticed more stone floors and a dimly lit exterior. It seemed I was in some sort of library, which made the horrid lighting that much weirder- and dumber, truth be told. Besides the fireplace was a dilapidated wooden table, unlit candles resting upon it. Big red and black armchairs filled the room, and dusty bookshelves lined the walls, the smell of a moldy musk filling the air.

There were also four redheads waiting for my arrival.

"Avery!" A pair of male voices shouted out. In an instant, I was in the twins' arms as they tackled me, nearly pushing me back into the fireplace as it began to glow green again. "Dumbledore said you were coming, mate," Fred said as he pulled back, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Though he didn't say you'd be looking so... different."

I tilted my head to the side, wondering what he meant. It was only as Bill stepped through the fireplace, scowling at the sight of Fred and George hanging onto me in their casual manner that I remembered I was still wearing excess make-up from competition...

"Oh, uh... It's nothing."

"Avery," Ginny called, sashaying up to me as Ron followed behind. "Are you really going to ignore us in favor of the twins?"

"Well Ginny," I said with a small smirk. "I'm sorry, but you see, I've always had a thing for older guys." I wrapped my arms around the twins' waists and they smiled smugly. "You just don't qualify."

She giggled as the fireplace grew green once more, drawing me into a quick hug. "Thank Merlin I'm no longer the only girl here."

"Where is here, anyway?"

"Sirius' house, Avery," Ron piped up as Remus stepped from the fire, towing my trunk after him. "It's been in his family for ages."

My ears perked up. "Sirius is here?" I may not have known him very well, but I still recalled how brilliantly we'd hit it off that day in Hogsmeade. Surely if he was hanging around the house they'd be zero chance of me getting bored.

"He is," Remus said, dropping my trunk before stepping around it and towards a door. "Now if you'll excuse us, Bill and I shall be going to the meeting. Stay out of the kitchen." He turned on his heel, hurrying through the open door and into the hallway beyond. Bill offered me a quick smile before following.

I raised an eyebrow. "Stay out of the kitchen? What's this about a meeting?"

"It's a meeting for the Order of the Phoenix," Ginny explained, looping her arm through mine. "The Order is this big anti-You-Know-Who group that fought against him the last time. They've more or less been resurrected in order to fight him off again."

"Mum, Dad, Bill, and Charlie are in the Order," Fred said, his voice laced with bitterness. "But they won't induct us. They say that even though we're of age, we're still in school and therefore not allowed to be involved in such matters."

"Bloody unfair," George agreed. But then he smiled. "Well c'mon then. Let's show you around."

* * *

"Wow. I can't believe Percy would do that to you. I mean, I've never met the guy, but family is family. He should show _some_ support towards the Weasley clan."

"Mum's really torn up about it," Ron commented, leaning back in his chair. "If I were you, I'd do my best to avoid the subject, mate."

"Will do."

I'd already been given the grand tour of the house, and yet still the Order meeting was in progress. We'd finally retired to my room, leaving my trunk unpacked on the floor by the foot of my bed as we lounged around. I spoke. "So Charlie is looking for international wizards, then?"

Fred nodded. "Dumbledore wants as many as possible to help."

I shook my head. "He's not going to get much assistance." Questioning looks met my statement, and I felt the urge to defend my claim. "Dumbledore's already sent the message to many American schools as well as the American ministry. Most are hard-pressed to believe him. My friend Ty says that the Americans want nothing to do with the war. I'm guessing most of Dumbledore's foreign contacts will feel the same."

Ron groaned. "Brilliant! With the Daily Prophet printing lies about us at every turn and no foreign aid to come, we'll be under You-Know-Who's control by the end of the month!"

Sadly, I don't think he was making a hyperbole...

I tried to change the subject. "So what's Bill doing to help the war effort?"

Fred raised an eyebrow. "What's with your sudden interest in my brother, Avery?"

I gaped at him, confused by what he meant. "You're kidding, right?" How could he be aware of how adorable I thought Bill was, or how sweet and caring... "I've asked about all of your brothers. Why should this be any different?"

"Bill's the only brother of ours you've actually met. Except for Ron, that is," George added. "But you aren't asking about him."

"Well it seemed sort of pointless, considering he's in the room and all. But I can do that now, if you like."

"You do know he's so much older than you, right," Ginny pointed out, nudging me from her spot besides me on the bed. What was it with all of the Weasley's pointing out age?

I rolled my eyes. "Really? I'd never would have guessed." All traces of humor left my voice as I began to explain myself. "Seriously. We just want to get to know each other better. Nothing more. No need to make a big deal out of it." There was also no need for me to mention the fact that if we found a mutual connection we would consider dating...

"Well anyway," Ginny continued, suspicion still radiating from her voice. "As you know, he's a curse breaker. But he's decided to take a desk job in London so he can do more work for the Order. I think he's planning on renting a flat in Diagon Alley, actually."

"He wants to be nearby when all of the action goes down, huh?"

Ron shrugged. "Pretty much."

"Well Harry will like that at least," I considered. "This means he'll have some back-up, come the next big conflict." Tension filled the air. I noticed Ron and Ginny grow stiff, fake grins sliding into place on Fred and George's faces as the attempted to draw my attention away from what I'd just uncovered... Whatever _that_was. "What?"

"Dumbledore... Dumbledore says we can't tell Harry," Ron said, hesitation creeping into his voice. "He seems to think it'd be best to keep Harry in the dark, given how things are turning out."

"You don't like that, though," I noted.

"Do you?" Ron countered. "Do _you_ enjoy keeping one of our best friends out of the loop?"

I sighed. "Not particularly."

"Dumbledore thinks it has to be done, though," Ginny said sternly, giving her brother a glare as a reminder. "Dumbledore has his best interest at heart, you know."

"It's still rubbish."

I tried to change he subject. "Well what about Hermione? What are we telling her?"

Fred shrugged. "Not much of anything, as far as I can tell. She's supposed to be kept unaware, just as Harry is."

"The only difference," George jumped in. "Is that Hermione will be coming here in the middle of July, and will therefore learn all about the Order then. Harry... Well who knows?"

There was something about all of this secrecy that bugged me. Did Dumbledore not trust Harry and Hermione? Heck, the only reason I'd even heard about all this was because I needed to be moved to a safe-house. Does that mean he didn't trust me? True, there was a war going on, and in war you can never be too careful. Nevertheless, I didn't like the idea that we were taking orders from someone who didn't think so highly of us.

There was a knock at the door, and we all turned as Molly Weasley stepped into the room. "Avery," she said warmly, hurrying over to the bed to give me a hug. "How nice to see you again!"

"Lovely to see you too, Mrs. Weasley," I said politely.

"Is the meeting over, mum?" Ron asked.

She nodded. "Yes. Now listen. It's been decided that Bill won't rent a room in Diagon Alley, due to... Well, something I cannot disclose. He will, however, be moving in here." I quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. Well _this_ certainly made getting to know him easier. "Because of this, Avery, you'll need to share a room with Ginny. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all."

"Good. Then let's get you situated."

* * *

There wasn't a single coffeepot in the entire house.

I didn't know what I was going to do. I would lose my mind, go insane without the blissful caffeine rush I lived off of every morning. How would I get by? How would I be able to function without my daily dose of coffee?

I opened another cupboard in the kitchen, finding my third tea kettle, by no coffeepot. "Of course," I muttered to myself. "Stupid Brits."

"Hey, I resent that!"

I turned around, coming face to face with a big man sporting shaggy black hair... "Sirius," I said, a content smile blossoming onto my features. I took a step towards him. "How are you?"

He shrugged. "I've been better. Being locked up in this place has never been my dream."

"Ah, so we're on the same page then." I moved towards another shelf, hoping to find my beloved treasure there. "I especially don't want to be trapped in here if your coffeepot continues to allude me."

"You can't find it because we don't have one."

My head snapped towards him. "What?"

He chuckled wryly. "We're British, my family. We drink tea."

I groaned. "Peachy."

"Arthur's going to Diagon Alley tomorrow. Have him get one for you. I'll charm it so it'll work without electricity."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Of course. It'll be a breeze, as you Americans say."

I fought the urge to hit my head with my palm. I don't think I've ever said that. Instead, I smiled up at him as I moved to leave the room. "It really is nice to see you again, you know," I said over my shoulder.

"Same here."

* * *

"Don't try and wake me up in the morning, or I will personally kill you."

Ginny giggled, braiding her hair into a long plait as she leaned back on her bed. Night had fallen, and the residents of Grimmauld Place had long ago grown quiet, leaving Ginny and I to catch up on our own. "You're not a morning person, then?"

"Never in life."

"Pity. I was going to see if Bill wanted to play Exploding Snap with me before breakfast," she said with a raised brow. "I was hoping you could join us."

I groaned, closing my eyes. "Oh, don't start with that again." All afternoon she'd been grilling me, bringing up her elder brother in sneaky ways in hopes that I would cave and let something slip. "Your brother and I barely know each other."

"You said it yourself, you know," she persisted. "You like older men."

"Yeah, preferably older men whose middle name I know," I snapped.

"It's Arthur," she said quickly. "After my father."

I laid back on my bed in exasperation. The soft green duvet felt like fluff beneath my long fingers. "That's not the point!"

"You think he's fit," Ginny accused.

I turned my head to the side, glaring at her through my hair. "True, but I also think Sirius is cute, and I don't want to date him."

She made a face, her fingers slipping on the last few strands of her hair. "Oh please never say that again."

I sat up, swinging my legs off the bed as I faced her, my hands clasped and my features stiff from the humorless expression I was sporting. "Ginny. Your brother and I are just friends, okay? Hell, I don't even know if I'd say that. I barely know the guy. Just because we're both interested in seeing if there's a connection-" I paused as she squealed. "That doesn't mean there will be!" Ginny completed her braid, tying it up neatly with a red bow in silence. My brow furrowed. "Why the sudden interest in who I'm dating, anyway?"

She tilted her head to the side, reaching for the bedside table that her cup of water rested upon. "Why wouldn't I be interested. It's good gossip."

But I shook my head. "You weren't nearly so inquisitive when I was dating Alejandros..." I made a face. "You aren't jealous, are you?"

"Ew!" She threw her pillow at me, giggling as she shuddered in horror. "That's disgusting."

I grabbed her pillow, a small smile gracing my lips. "Well then what?"

"I'm just..." Her cheeks began to glow a light reddish color. "Wondering how you do it."

Did she mean... "Do what?" I asked cautiously.

"Date!" Oh. That. She fiddled with the hem of her nightshirt, biting her lip as she did so. "I mean, it must be terribly awkward, right? Not knowing what to do, how to act, what to say... You have to be uncomfortable too, right?"

I cocked my head to the side, picking up on a little nuance in her wording. "Wait, too? As in you've..." Her blush deepened, and I knew I had her. "Okay, spill. Who's the guy?"

She sighed. "His name's Michael Corner. He's in your year. A Ravenclaw."

I nodded in approval. "Nice."

"Thank you. We've been dating for a few weeks now... I don't know. I met him at the Yule Ball, and we really hit it off. But now... I 'm worried I'm going to mess things up. I'm not very good at the dating thing."

According to Bill, neither was the rest of the wizarding world... "Nonsense," I said, waving the thought away. "Ginny, if you split, then you weren't right for each other. It has nothing to do with whether or not you're good at dating."

"Well, I know that," she argued, leaning back on her bed. I tossed the pillow she'd chuckled at me back to her side of the room. "But just because I'm aware that it may not be my fault, that doesn't mean I'm not going to fret over it." She sighed, shutting her eyes. It was weird to me, watching a fourteen year old girl worry about dating and love. She was so young that her actions seemed a little promiscuous... Of course, I then realized that when I was her age, I'd already slept with Ty. Suddenly, her dating a guy she liked didn't seem so bad. Her eyes snapped open. "You can't tell anyone!"

I held up both of my hands in defense. "Whoa there! I wasn't going to."

"I mean it." She leaned forward, her eyes as fiery as her hair. "My brothers will lose it if they learn I'm dating someone in Ron's year."

I smiled to myself before reassuring her. "Don't worry. You can trust me."

* * *

Note: The beginning of this chapter uses lyrics from the song Posse on Broadway by Sir Mix-a-lot.

Hey everyone! Here's the first official chapter of Trouble! I'm really excited for this story, I have some great things planned for the future, so keep your eyes out for an update sometime next weekend! Thank you to Blank Paige, brilliantblonde, Eternal L0ve, sweetypie200494, sportygirl807, SweetieCherrie, Jim Red Hawk, and HungInTheGallows for the reviews. Also, thanks to my anonymous reviewer Werewolfchic. I really appreciate it!

Really quick, I have a question for you all. There are so many good TV shows out right now that the world is talking about, and I don't want to miss out on anything good. I currently watch LOST, Survivor, and House. So what do you think I should be paying attention to? Let me know what TV shows you guys recommend!

So please RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... and then I'll Love it!

Lurve forever,

-Selene


	3. Fireworks

Life at Grimmauld Place was different than how I'd imagined it. For starters, Mrs. Weasley had us acting as the house's own personal maids, cleaning the rooms, going through drawers, taking down curtains... And all without magic.

Fabulous.

Nevertheless, Fred and George kept us all thoroughly entertained, coming up with the most bizarre new inventions that they said they'd one day sell at their joke shop. Sirius found the twins to be a riot, commending them on their prank-pulling ways, and even going so far as to help them a few times. This, of course, angered Molly, as she claimed they needed to focus on practical things, not pranks. She thought they were wasting their time on frivolities, but one of my special... feelings told me that they'd do anything to make this joke shop dream of theirs a reality.

Ginny kept me up to date on all of the gossip about her and Michael, and Ron, naturally, stayed oblivious. Members of the Order continued to come and go as they pleased. Remus, the sweet man who'd come to pick me up. Tonks, a clumsy witch that just wanted some fun. Moody, who was even _more_ paranoid than his evil counterpart...

About a week and a half after my arrival, I entered the kitchen in my pajamas to find Mrs. Weasley bustling about, rinsing the dishes. "Good morning, Avery," she said cheerfully, grabbing the tea kettle as it began to whistle. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine, thank you," I yawned, making my way to the counter so I could brew myself some coffee.

"A letter came for you about an hour ago," Mrs. Weasley told me, gesturing towards the far end of the table. "I didn't want to wake you, so I put it over there."

"That's fine," I said, pushing the red blinking button on the coffee maker. The machine began to whirl, the water heating. Satisfied that I'd have my caffeine fix in a few minutes, I headed over to the kitchen table, grabbing for the parchment.

The script was neat and tidy, a simple cursive that had an elegant quality to it, making my name seem royal. I grinned as I tore the letter open. Hermione had written back.

_Avery-_

_Are you back in England now? Your letter got to me remarkably fast; the speed with which it returned was absolutely impossible from your side of the globe. So why are you back in England?_

_Oh, Avery, I have so much to tell you! I arrived at Viktor's yesterday, and let me just say that Bulgaria is so lovely! It's not nearly as warm as England is in the summer, but it's not entirely the frozen wasteland that Ron makes it out to be._

_Speaking of Ron, I've yet to hear from him. Do me a favor and hit him over the head the next time you see him until he writes back please._

_But anyway, Viktor has been so sweet. We went for a walk the other day through a meadow, and the view was fantastic! Something else that's fantastic: How well Viktor kisses! He's bloody brilliant, pardon my language. I refuse to do anything else, however. We will most likely be breaking our relationship off once summer ends, so why would I want to invest myself in him emotionally and physically for nothing? Of course, we have until mid-July to spend time together, so why not kiss him, right?_

_Oh, Merlin. I sound like you. You really are a bad influence, you know._

_But please, write me. Hopefully, I shall see you in three weeks. If not... Well, then I'll see you at school._

_Hermione_

I smiled to myself, the dripping sound of the coffee slowing down, signaling to me that my warm beverage was ready. I stood up, stretching my arms over my head. It amazed me how intuitive Hermione was. Just because my letter got to her rapidly, she knew I was back in England. I shook my head to myself, placing the letter down on the table. It was weird having smart friends.

"Good news, I hope," Mrs. Weasley asked, sliding a plate of toast and bacon to my table's place.

I went over to the coffeepot, grabbing a mug before pouring myself a drink. "Nothing bad. Just... news, really." I put the pot back, sipping the warm liquid gingerly before taking a step towards my seat.

The door to the kitchen slid open, and in walked a menacing figure, his dark robes billowing out behind him as he strode into the room, his eyebrows raising at the sight of me. "My, my. Aren't you up early."

A scowl covered my features as I glared at Severus Snape and the sarcastic comment he'd made. I fought the urge to glance down at my green cami and navy blue sweat pants, my chosen sleep-wear. Just because I liked sleeping in, that didn't mean he had to be so rude...

"Morning Molly," he said politely, though I noticed a stiff note in his voice as he nodded in her direction.

"Severus," she said, equally over-polite. "Would you like anything to eat?"

"Not at all. I just wished to inform you about the meeting tonight at six. Dumbledore's orders," he sneered. I guess he wasn't pleased about being Dumbledore's lap dog. It had only taken me a few days to first spot Snape at Grimmauld Place, and I'd come to learn that he generally showed up for all of the Order meetings, though he never visited for fun. Come to think of it, I don't think he ever did _anything_ for fun... His eyes swept the room, as if he was looking for something. Then he stopped. "Perhaps I will take a cup of coffee before I go."

I almost groaned. Of course my least favorite professor would have to share a love for my favorite drink.

The door to the kitchen opened again, though this time a friendly face strolled through. "Morning, Mum," Bill said cheerfully, kissing his mother on the cheek as he swiped a piece of toast from her stack. "Avery," he said, tilting his head to the side in a flirtatious manner. He nodded towards Snape, his manner suddenly becoming neutral. "Severus."

Ah, Bill. What an interesting man he was. I'll admit, the first few days following my arrival at Grimmauld Place, an awkwardness had settled between the two of us, like a giant chasm that was insurmountable.

However, as the days wore on and I became a permanent fixture in the house, he grew rather used to me. We'd sit together at dinner, we'd read together in the library, we'd have long talks in the kitchen after everyone else had already gone to bed.

Truth be told, I wasn't sure what to think of him. He seemed interesting enough: He had piles of stories from his days as an active Curse Breaker, and he was probably what one would consider a rebel in the wizarding world, given how he looked. As I learned more about him, I found myself being increasingly wooed by his charm, and it worried me that even though I was falling a little for his quirky, humorous attitude, he'd yet to approach me about having a relationship.

That's kind of a confidence killer.

Maybe he just saw me in a friendly light, or even worse, maybe he thought that with what he considered to be a vast age difference, it just wasn't worth it. Either way, it didn't bode well for me.

Anyway, Snape responded to Bill's greeting with a nod of his own. I think he was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable with the number of Gryffindors in the room, for no sooner had he addressed Bill then he knocked back the rest of the hot coffee, tossing his head back as his gulped it all down. I stared in awe, wondering how he'd done that.

I've got to admit it, I was impressed by his mad skills.

"I must be going," he murmured, his head down as he began to move past us and out the kitchen door. "Excuse me." He swept out the entrance, his cloak hissing along the floor as the door clicked shut behind him.

Bill turned to me once the Slytherin had left, relief evident on his face. "That was awkward," he muttered, pouring himself a cup of coffee before smiling. "So what are you up to today?"

I shrugged. "Not much, actually. I'll probably get some school reading done, maybe teach Ron and Ginny how to gamble."

Bill grinned, an amused twinkle appearing in his eye. "Five card poker?"

"Texas Hold 'Em, actually. It's a little more complicated. I'll probably be able to earn more money off of them," I said truthfully.

Mrs, Weasley surprised me by chuckling. "Just watch out if you play Fred and George. Anything involving money, and they'll be bound to play dirty."

I mock saluted her, appreciating the advice. "Will do."

"What about you, Bill," Mrs. Weasley said, using her wand to pour herself a glass of juice. "What are your plans for the day?"

"I have to head into the office, actually," he admitted, a dejected frown overtaking his features. I had a feeling that the mundane office job he'd taken wasn't what Bill considered fun. "We have a new recruit coming in, and they want me to show her around."

"How dull," I said, standing up to take my empty cup to the sink.

He nodded, taking a final sip of his own cup. "Agreed."

"Well make sure you're home tonight by six," Mrs. Weasley said, turning her back on her son as she began to dry dishes magically. "There's a meeting tonight that's apparently mandatory."

"I will be, mum." He turned to me, eyebrows raised. "I'll see you later, then?"

"You know it," I said, my eyes following his back as he left the room.

* * *

"Damn," Sirius swore as I flipped the river card over.

I grinned wickedly, dragging the pot towards me as I threw my cards down. "I win. Again."

"Well that could be because it's _your_ game," Ron grumbled, leaning back on his elbows, a scowl on his features. "Now if we were to play Wizard's Chess-"

"Oh come off it, Ron," Ginny said with a roll of her eyes. "You're the only person who likes that game, you know."

"Anyone up for another round," I inquired, unconsciously shuffling the cards. "Perhaps you've learned something by now."

"Doubt it," Ron muttered, climbing to his feet. "I think I'll pass. Something tells me it would be the epitome of stupidity to willingly give my galleons to you, and that's what I'd essentially be doing if I were to play another hand."

"I'm out too," Ginny said, standing as well. "It's almost ten. I should probably get ready for bed, seeing as Mum's taking me shopping to get some new skirts tomorrow."

I nodded in understanding. "I'll be quiet when I come up, then." I quirked an eyebrow at the older man beside me as Ron and Ginny left the room. "Sirius?"

He shrugged, a wry grin evolving on his features. "I suppose I'm a gluten for punishment," he said, motioning for me to deal again. I complied, the cards flying out of my hand as I laid them out before setting the remainder of the deck besides me. "So," Sirius said nonchalantly as he glanced at his two cards. "What is a young girl like you doing playing poker with an old fella like me so late at night?"

I made a face at his obvious attempts to distract me from the game. "Why _wouldn't_ I want to play with you? You're easy money."

"Well," he said, tilting his head to the side as he casually pushed a couple of galleons into the pot. "That's what I thought... except you've been sitting here since before the Order meeting started. Here, in the library, where you can easily hear when the front door opens..."

I rolled my eyes, matching is bet. "Oh please, do tell me your insane theory. Obviously you've been dying to say this for a while now."

"I was waiting for Ron and Ginny to run off to bed," he admitted with a smile. "Just as you've been waiting for a certain redhead to come home."

"Come on Sirius," I said, flipping the first three of the community cards. "I was not-"

"He's running late, you know," Sirius interrupted, tilting his head to the side as he examined "the flop". "That's why he missed the meeting. He sent a message to Molly. Something about a dragon getting out of control."

My eyes widened. A dragon. I still vividly remembered those beasts from the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. If there was a dragon on the loose... I fought to keep my voice calm as I flipped over the second of the community cards, "the turn". "Is he okay?"

Sirius shrugged. "He should be fine. I think it's just a bunch of tedious paperwork he has to fill out that's keeping him. Don't worry. You'll have your lover back soon enough-"

"He's not my lover!" I snapped, glaring at him before I realized that his lips were half curled into a smile.

He laughed. "I was only joking. Though your defensiveness leads me to believe that you wish he was. Maybe you should talk to him. Men can be completely daft sometimes if you aren't explicit."

My eyes widened in surprise. He wasn't going to berate me? Tell me I was wrong and foolish for committing the wizard taboo and being attracted to an older man? I chuckled wryly. "You know, you're the first person that hasn't tried to convince me that Bill is too old for me."

"Avery, when you've spent twelve years locked up in Azkaban, you learn that the rules and perceptions of others aren't nearly as important as you first thought. So what if people currently think I'm a raging lunatic? I'm free. I can live again. So what if our world believes Bill to be too old for you? Live your life, Avery. You don't really know what you have until it's gone."

I made a face as I turned over the final community card, "the river". "Thanks for quoting Fort Minor."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but then he glanced down, laughing. "Anytime. Besides, it looks like I should make more life-altering speeches. It appears to be the only way I can win against you."

Looking down, I saw the river card had given Sirius a straight. I swore as he cheerfully raked in his prize money.

* * *

I woke way too early to be healthy, the moonlight shinning into the room that Ginny and I shared as the clock _ticked_ clearly on the desk nearby. I sat up slowly, shutting my eyes to the darkness as the blood rushed from my head. I glanced at the clock and fought the urge to groan. Three in the morning. What the _hell_was I doing awake at three in the morning? And then I caught the date on the calendar next to my bed.

_Tick. Tick._

I lied back down, my hands over my eyes in an attempt to shut out the world around me and fall back into a blissful sleep, but I had no such luck. The clock continued to tick away, the noise getting louder and louder to my oversensitive ears as sleep seemed farther and farther away...

_Tick. Tick._

I groaned, forgetting for a moment that I was not alone. With a sigh, I climbed from my bed, the cold air rushing to my body as the covers fell away. With a slight yawn, I grabbed a sweatshirt from the foot of my bed before stepping to the door, opening it slowly in order to avoid the tell-tale _creak_ before I left the room.

I shut the door behind me, a sense of relief rising through my core as I peeked into the dark hallway before me. I was alone. And just like that, the relief was gone. I was alone on today of all days.

I pulled the grey surf-shop sweatshirt over my head as I made my way to the staircase. If sleep was going to continue to elude me for awhile, I might as well brood about my troubles in the library. Maybe I would light a fire, or curl up with a book.

Of course, once I actually _got_ to the library, that thought flew right out of my head. Apparently, if I was ever stranded on a deserted island, I would die very quickly, because after nearly fifteen minutes of trying to light a freaking fire, the wood before me sat as cold as it was when I'd begun. It was shocking to me how I could accidentally set Snape's magazine on fire mid-last year, and yet _now_ when I actually _wanted_ a blaze, I was frigid.

Well _that_ certainly was a waste of effort.

I sighed once more, sitting in one of the red velvet chairs of the living room as I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the seat. The fire didn't really matter. All I truly wanted was something to do, something to think about. I needed a distraction of some kind so I would stop lamenting about my problems-

"Avery? What are you doing up so late?"

And there it was.

I opened my eyes, squinting a bit in the dark as I peered into the shadows of the room. "Bill?" I asked, sitting up a little straighter. "Is that you?"

He moved forward, taking a seat across from me in another of the armchairs. "You do know how early it is, don't you?" His voice sounded gruff, as if he had just woken up and the sleepiness hadn't fully left him yet.

I raised an eyebrow, though I knew he probably couldn't see. "I could say the same thing about you."

There was a light chuckle, and then: "Why are you sitting here in the dark?"

I shrugged. "Couldn't get a fire going. It's slightly pathetic."

"Well that can be easily rectified." The darkness before me stirred, a swish though the air, and then a small burst of light flew out of the night and towards the fireplace. Moments later, a small fire was growing as it lit the room. "Now then," Bill said, settling back in his chair. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

The light from the fire showed his face clearly. The stubble on his chin, the lines in his face, the bags under his eyes... His long hair was tied back with a piece of white string, though it had loosened considerably and appeared to be on the verge of falling out. He wore simple grey drawstring pants, a black summertime robe thrown over the ensemble. I got the feeling that he had been sleeping without a shirt on, but had worn the robe downstairs for modesty's sake.

I smiled at his question. "What, do I have a bedtime now?"

"No, but you _were_ asleep when I arrived here. So why did you get up? Planning your latest heist?" he teased.

I drew my legs up under me, curling them up next to my body. "Well why'd you get up to come down here? Are you stalking me?" I raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on my face.

"I heard you go by, actually. Thought I'd see what was up." He studied my face for a moment, his joking manner disappearing as worry took its place. "You have something on your mind."

I rolled my eyes. "No getting anything past you."

He ignored my jab, leaning forward a bit in his chair as he spoke. "What's wrong?"

But I just shook my head. "Nothing's wrong, per se. It's just... it's July fourth."

He continued to stare at me, waiting for the addendum to my omission for some sign or reasoning as to why this was such a big deal. Nothing. "Well.." he spoke again after a moments silence. "Yes it is."

I ran a hand through my hair, smiling wryly. He didn't get it. "Of course you don't understand. You're British."

"I beg your pardon-"

"On July 4th, 1776 my country declared its independence from yours." I paused, considering a small technicality... "Well, actually we declared our independence on July 2nd, but the official document wasn't done until the fourth, and it would have just gotten confusing to throw the two dates around..." I shook my head. "I digress. The point is... Today is a holiday in my country."

Bill thought I was a lunatic. That much was obvious, thanks to the blank stare he'd been sending my way. He opened his mouth, speaking slowly as if he was afraid of offending me. "All right then. Happy July Fourth."

I shook my head, waving away his well-wishes. "Oh please, I don't give a crap about that. It's just... Every year our neighborhood throws a huge party at the local high school. There's food and games and fireworks... My family and I always go. It's a tradition. Or at least," I amended. "It was."

A stillness met the conclusion to my uncharacteristically sentimental tale. Quiet permeated the air, until at long last I heard a whispered, "We'll see."

* * *

I was kidnapped at one in the afternoon.

One minute, I was walking to the kitchen for lunch with Ginny, and the next an arm had snaked its way around my waist and a hand had flown over my mouth. I let out a muffled shriek, flailing my arms as Ginny faced my attacker with a raised brow. It wasn't until she spoke that I knew I wasn't in any immediate danger. "Is there a reason you're assaulting Avery, Bill?"

I relaxed, though I couldn't help but be surprised at this move. Was he flirting with me? Was this a move to advance our relationship or just a prank he was assisting the twins in?

After I ceased in struggling, Bill released me, turning me around to face him. "You aren't eating lunch in here with the family."

I blinked. "Why not?"

He grabbed at my hand, pulling me closer to him and away from Ginny as he backed away. "You'll see. I'll meet you later, Ginny."

She rolled her eyes as she entered the kitchen. "Bye."

Meanwhile, Bill began to drag me towards the library. "You going to tell me where we're going?"

"Not yet."

Once in the library, Bill reached into the flowerpot besides the fireplace. I raised an eyebrow. Our little excursion took place out of the house? Throwing the floo powder into the fireplace, he said clearly, "The Bauer house."

I started, shocked by the destination of choice as the flames grew green. "The Bauer house? As in_ Tyler _Bauer? Why are we going there?"

But he just pulled me into the fireplace. "You'll see," he whispered again as the world around us began to spin.

By this point, I was thoroughly confused. What the hell was going on here? Why was Bill taking me to Ty's house? Was I missing something? Had Ty arranged for us to meet to discuss the previous competition, and I'd just forgotten?

We slowed in our spinning, arriving at our desired destination. Stepping out onto the familiar maroon shag carpet, I was greeted by Ty, still in his pajamas as he sat by the fire, a cup of coffee in his hand. Judging by his appearance and the height of his eyebrows, it seemed he wasn't expecting us. "Avery," he said, tilting his head in our direction.

"Hi," I said awkwardly, not really sure what I could say at this point.

Bill, thank god, jumped in. "Sorry to just burst in like this, mate. We just needed to borrow the fireplace. We'll be going now."

Ty waved it away. "No problem."

"Just a quick question for you. How do we get out of here?"

"Oh, that's easy. Go out through this hallway and to the right. The front door is past the bathroom and before the stairs," he said, rattling off the familiar route.

"Great. Come on, Avery." Once again, Bill grabbed my wrist, moving me towards the door.

As we stepped into the scorching summer heat, I pulled away, fed up with the blind game I was playing. "Seriously, Bill. Where are we going? Why are we here? In my hometown. At Ty's house. What's going on?"

He rolled his eyes. "You really want me to spoil the surprise?"

"Yes."

He sighed with a small smile, running his fingers through his hair. "It's the fourth of July," he said sheepishly. "It means nothing to me, but it's important to you. So you should spend the day with your family. I'm here to assist you in that endeavor."

The world slowed down for a moment as understanding flooded through my body. He was doing this for me. He was spending the day with me. He wanted me to be happy. It took a moment for the news to sink in, but it wasn't long before I was launching myself at Bill, throwing my arms around his neck in an ecstatic thrill.

* * *

"See? This is the life."

Bill chuckled in appreciation, sipping on his strawberry smoothie as we waded through the crowd. "It's not half bad."

That was an understatement. Today had lifted me higher into the blissful serenity than even the strongest of drugs could have. To see my family again, to pretend I was normal and just spend time with my friends... It was perfect.

My parents were thrilled to have me back for the day, chatting about trivial things like who was sleeping with whom on House as they made breakfast in their excitement to have me holiday was as I'd remembered, my dad's special pancake breakfast leading to a highly competitive game of Monopoly, the only time my family plays such a tedious game all year. We yelled and screamed over my mother's feeble attempts at being the banker, and my sister's devious methods of cheating. Bill thought we were all nuts.

But boy was it fun.

Hours later, I was dressed in a pair of mini jean shorts and a black camisole, strolling around the carnival-like setting that was my old high school, a chocolate shake in one hand and a hot dog in the other. Bill walked besides me, his eyes wide as he glanced around, overwhelmed by the vast crowd before him. When I'd first appeared in the quintessential-summer-American-but-slutty-English apparel, his eyes had grown wide with disbelief, though by now it seemed he'd gotten used to my effort to keep cool in the blistering summer heat.

"You know what else is not half bad?" I asked, nudging him playfully in the side. "That hot dog of yours. Give it a try."

He grimaced down at his untouched sandwich, murmuring, "I'd rather not. It looks very frightening."

I rolled my eyes. "Well you sure are the adventurous one."

"Hey! I resent that." He bumped his shoulder into my own, a lighthearted grin on his face. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was flirting... "I'm here, aren't I? That's pretty adventurous."

I snorted. "Oh please. So you went on a vacation. Big deal."

"Well maybe-"

"Avery!"

I turned, leaving Bill to sputter to silence as I squealed at the young man approaching me. "Ty!" I threw my arms around him, laughing as I hugged my ex. "You seen Darce and Anderson yet?"

He shook his head as he pulled back, a small grin on his face. "They're probably in the shade. It's absolutely brutal out." And that it was. The air was blistering hot despite the set sun, the asphalt roasting beneath my sandal covered feet. Though the sky was dark, the world around us was lit with the bright lights of the school. "It's a bit trippy, isn't it? Being back here?"

I smiled, the memory of my freshmen year, my sole year at this school flashing before me. "Yeah," I said at last. "Yeah it is."

A light cough cam from behind Tyler, and I looked over his shoulder, surprised to find that he was with someone. "Oh," he started, grabbing his companion's arm as he grinned down at her. "Avery, this is Abby. Well, Abigail, really, but it's Abby for short. Abby, this is my friend Avery, the one I told you about. She's at Morning Shots with me," he added for my benefit.

I smiled, though I was thrown by this change of events. Abby looked to be of Spanish descent, her long brown hair curling down her back, her skin tan and glowing. She smiled back at me, though her brown eyes were tight, as if she didn't fully trust me yet. "It's a pleasure," she said, shaking my hand. She turned to Ty. "I'm going to get some water. Are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a minute." Her face twitched for a moment, as if she had lost her composure and she was letting her negative thoughts through, but after a second, she smiled again and walked off.

I raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you've got yourself a girlfriend."

Tyler shrugged. "We've been going out since the end of term. I was going to tell you, but... Well, with everything going on, there just didn't seem like a right time." Everything. Right, Voldemort and all that.

"Well, she seems... charming."

He chuckled. "She doesn't like you."

"Oh really? So you see it too? Well, that's good, I thought it was just me," I said drily.

He rolled his eyes at my jest. "She knows we used to date. I think the whole "ex-girlfriend" thing kind of freaks her out. Give her some time. She'll grow to like you."

"Oh, well that just made my day."

He laughed, opening his mouth to add more, but our witty repartee was interrupted by a loud, booming laugh from my left. "Well," Bill said, pushing his way closer to the two of us. "I certainly think Abby is nice, don't you?"

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't mention his sudden overwhelming need to make his presence known. "Yeah, sure."

"I don't know about you, Avery, but I think we should head off and find somewhere to sit. You said the fireballs would start soon."

"Fireworks," I corrected automatically. I cocked my head to the side, giving Ty a long look of amusement. "I guess we'll see you later."

He snickered. "I guess so."

"Come on then," Bill said, looping his arm through mine in what was an astonishingly bold move for him.

I followed him willingly, though I decided to have some fun... "You're really going to pull me away without taking a bite of your hot dog? Seriously?"

A pained look came onto his features, fear running through his eyes as he stared down at the ketchup covered cuisine. "Do I have to?"

I shrugged. "If you want me to go with you, then yeah. You do."

He grimaced, gingerly raising the sandwich to his mouth. Giving me one last reproachful look, he bit down, wincing as the juice from the dog ran down his throat. "Well?" I asked.

He shook his head. "It's disgusting." I rolled my eyes. Of course. He nodded with his head towards the school garden. "Come on. I'm sure we can see the firebirds from there."

* * *

The garden was dimly lit. I suppose they figured most of the spectators would prefer to stay within the confines of the carnival, and it appeared that they were right to assume this, seeing as we were the only ones in the garden. Bill came to a stop at a wooden bench, roots from the oak tree above the seat making the path to said bench difficult to navigate in the dark.

Bill was nervous, tapping his foot as he glanced at the sky. "The firelights won't hurt us, will they? We aren't too close?"

"Fireworks," I corrected. "Trust me. We'll be fine." Nevertheless, the nervous energy he felt continued to make itself known, his fingers joining his foot in the incessant tapping. I tried to distract him. Moving a little closer, I tilted my head to the side. "So, what was the deal with you and Ty?"

He stopped moving his fingers. "I don't know what you mean."

I snorted. "Oh please. You couldn't get me away from the guy fast enough. And since we used his fireplace to aid our arrival, I know you don't hate him. So what gives?" Silence. I persisted in my interrogation. "Perhaps a little jealousy?"

He stopped tapping his foot, his eyes not exactly meeting mine. "What? Definitely not."

"Mm, see, I'm not buying that. You didn't like the fact that I used to date him. Right?"

"Not at all. I don't care about your ex's. I just... thought it would be nice to get away from all the noise."

I rolled my eyes. "You lie."

"Not completely," he said, with a small grin as he finally brought his eyes up to mine. "I do think it would be nicer to be alone... Though I suppose it would be easier if you weren't good friends with your ex."

"Ha! I knew it!" I clapped my hands together, unaware of Bill inching closer. "You _are_ jealous."

"Well wouldn't you be if I spent an inordinate amount of time with my ex-girlfriend?"

I tilted my head to the side, considering. "Honestly, I wouldn't be," I said slowly. He shifted a little in his seat, bringing himself nearer to me... "Because I'd have no right to be."

"Explain that."

"We aren't together," I elaborated. "You don't belong to me, I don't belong to you. Why should I have any say in who you hang out with? It's not my place."

He nodded, considering my words. "What if we were together?"

"Well I suppose I'd be a little jealous, but if we were dating, then that means I must trust you somewhat. And if I trust you, then it wouldn't really matter, would it? A relationship is all about trust."

"I couldn't agree more," he said, grabbing my hand with a slight grin. I was surprised to find him so close; when had he crept nearer? "Since we obviously have such similar values, perhaps we should start a relationship. Together."

I raised my eyebrows. "Why Bill Weasley, are you asking me out?"

"I believe so."

I teased, "Are you sure you want to date _me_? Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"Well I'm not sure," he said with a smirk reminiscent of a Weasley twin. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

"Okay... I'm a competitive person," I pointed out. "So I'm a sore loser."

He shrugged it away. "Manageable."

"I'm impulsive," I said, leaning forward a bit. "When I'm angry or excited... Sometimes I don't think. Sometimes I just do. I react without thinking, and it gets me in a lot of trouble."

His arm slipped around my shoulders. "Aren't we all like that?"

"I have a noxious tongue. I don't always think before I speak, and sometimes the results can be lethal."

"I don't mind."

"Surely you must care that I'm the Ultimate Power," I reminded. "Being with me puts you in danger."

"Nowadays, if you're against You-Know-Who, you're in danger," he countered.

I bit my lip, contemplating, not really wanting to divulge a certain fault of mine, but knowing that if we were ever going to have a prayer of working out, he'd need to know that truth... "I'm... I'm not a virgin," I said softly.

This, I'm not surprised to say, seemed to throw him for a loop. A part of me thinks that it's not the shock of the revelation that was unforeseen by him, but my forthrightness about it. I was willing to risk being refuted by him because of my lack of purity, something that was apparently important to the wizarding world. I wanted to be honest. I wanted to make things work.

After a beat, Bill grinned back at me, leaning until our lips were mere inches away. "Neither am I," he confessed.

Now _that_ was certainly all the encouragement I needed. Leaning in the last few inches, I kissed him, my lips brushing lightly against his at first, before pressing harder. My lips parted. He kissed me back with vigor, one of his hands on my shoulder, the other entangling itself in my hair. It was as he was deepening the kiss, opening his mouth against mine, his tongue running lightly along the edge of my bottom lip, begging for entrance, that various _boom_'s began to fill the air, the noise as loud as Jack Sparrow's cannons.

Bill pulled back with a start, glancing around wildly in fear. I laughed, though a part of me was cringing on the inside. Just like in some cheesy-ass movie, the fireworks went off as we started making out. Terrific. But I smiled anyway, leaning my head against his shoulder as I pointed at the sky. "You see Bill," I said softly. "_These_ are fireworks."

* * *

Hey everyone! I know I've taken forever to update, but the AP tests are right around the corner and I've been studying like mad for APUSH... The good news is that I've already begun the next chapter! It should be up in about a week, two at the latest. And... You get to see some Hermione next chapter. W00t! The good news is that I almost doubled my word count for the entire story this chapter as a way to make up for my myriad absence. t's my apology to you! Thank you all for standing loyal to me and continuing to read and review! Speaking of reviews, thank you to Blank Paige, brilliantblonde, SweetieCherrie, arrowheadhunter, AshleyDiLorentis, sailor-tin-foil, and julieakaweirdo for the reviews. Also, thanks to my anonymous reviewer your friend. I really appreciate it!

So please RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... and then I'll Love it!

Lurve forever,

-Selene


	4. Revelations

Warning: Extremely mild lemons near the end of the chapter.

* * *

Just like that, everything changed. Suddenly, Bill would always try and catch my eye whenever he walked into the room. He would smile at me, maybe throw a wink my way. We'd sit near each other at meals... and then go out of our way to ignore each other.

Why? We'd unanimously decided that it would be best if we kept our relationship a secret for the time being. What with all of the anti-Dumbledore sentiment that was being thrown about the ministry, we didn't think it was the appropriate time to divulge our happy news.

That didn't mean we avoided each other, though. No, we just had to make sure that no one was around when we spent time together. We'd steal moments in the halls, kissing each other softly, but it wasn't enough. So late at night, once the rest of the household was asleep, I would sneak to Bill's room.

About three weeks after we'd begun dating found me lounging on Bill's bed as he sat across from me in a chair, laughter in his eyes. "You set the magazine on fire? As Snape was holding it? Are you mad?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh shut up. I didn't actually get punished for it."

He raised an eyebrow. "How is that possible?"

"I just chalked it up to the whole Ultimate Power I-didn't-know-what-I-was-doing thing. Worked like a charm."

He scoffed. "That doesn't count. You really didn't know what you were doing."

"That may be, but I still didn't get in trouble. Besides, Snape's been tutoring me, so eventually I should make some headway on this Ultimate Power crap."

Bill shook his head, his expression a cross between amusement and amazement. "I can't believe he's teaching you voluntarily. That's really out of character."

I shrugged, sitting up on Bill's bed. "He said he just didn't want me to set him on fire. It seems to be a good enough reason, if you ask me."

"I don't know. That still seems a little bizarre to me. I mean, why would he want to put in the extra effort to help you? That just doesn't make-"

I rolled my eyes, leaning forward to grab his hand in an effort to silence him. "Bill," I said softly, pulling him closer to me. "Do we really want to be discussing Snape of all people?"

A small smile crept onto his face as he leaned in closer to me, placing a hand on my cheek. "Well, Avery. What would you rather we did?"

I chuckled as I pulled him toward me, stopping a few inches from his mouth. This was what I loved most about being with Bill. We'd only been together for three weeks, but already we were comfortable with each other. And thanks to the pure tendencies of the wizarding world, there was no sexual pressure of any kind on us. We could just be. That was what was running through my head as he leaned forward to kiss me.

* * *

"So. You're shagging my brother now, are you?"

I froze, completely started by Ginny's words. Dropping the shirt I was holding, I whirled around to see her sitting on her bed, a knowing grin on her face. I stuttered, "What?" It was almost four weeks after Bill and I had begun to see each other, and we'd gotten pretty close. Summer was half way done with, but we still acted like we had all the time in the world together.

"Oh, don't play coy with me," she said, standing up. "You've got to be with him. Where else could you possibly go when you leave our room in the middle of the night?"

I sighed as I made a mental note to try and become more stealth-like. "I'm not acting sleeping with him, you know."

But Ginny just squealed, dropping the brush she'd been using to tame her long locks. "But you are seeing him! I knew it! Oh that is so great. To think, you could be my sister-in-law-"

Red flags went up. I had to stop these insane rumors immediately. "Ginny, we've been dating for a month. We're not getting married!"

"But you will eventually," she said simply. "Wizards generally marry young, and Bill's almost ready to be tied down. You can see it in his eyes, you know."

I blinked. Did I want to marry Bill? Would that make me happy? The notion escaped my head as quickly as I thought it. No, that was stupid. I was too young. I don't care what the wizarding rules were; I was not going to get married. End of story.

"That may be, but I'm sixteen. I think I'm a little young for marriage."

"But you become of age in December Isn't that exciting?"

I raised a brow. "I'll be seventeen in December."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "That's what I just said."

Then what... "So... Then I won't be legal."

"Oh no," Ginny said, laughing as if she understood my confusion. "In the wizarding world, you're considered of age at seventeen. Though most are still in school at seventeen, by the time they graduate, they'll be almost eighteen, and thus, legal in the muggle world as well."

"That makes no sense."

She shrugged. "Then bring it up with Fudge."

"That lunatic? Oh yeah, I'm sure he'll take me really seriously," I said, shuddering as I remembered my encounter a few months ago with the Minister of Magic. It boggled my mind that still, Fudge believed Harry to be lying about Voldemort being back. How he could have ignored the evidence is beyond me. "I can't wait for the reelection. He needs to go."

"Just one more year," Ginny said, folding the shirt I tossed her. "Then the next idiot will take his place."

"Sounds like American politics."

"Pretty much." She sighed, looking back up at me with a dreamy smile on her lips. "But seriously, Avery. You and my brother are good together. I can tell that he really likes you. So please, don't mess it up."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks so much for your vote of confidence."

"Anytime."

* * *

An unusual summer rain hit London one morning, the sky gray and overcast as the sky poured water down on us. The morbid day left many feeling melancholy, as if they couldn't possibly work on a day like this. As a result, many of the Order members stayed away from Grimmauld Place for the day.

Molly Weasley used that time to take Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny back home so they could tidy up their house, and start bringing anything they would need for the school year back to Sirius' house. Because of this, I spent most of the day alone in the big house, curled up in the living room with a cup of coffee in one hand and a book in the other.

This was how I was when two long arms suddenly wrapped themselves around my waist, hugging me from behind. I shrieked, spinning around as I dropped my book, my hand curling into a precautionary fist. I relaxed, though, once I realized who it was. "Bill," I groaned, smiling a bit as my favorite redhead came to sit next to me on the couch. "You made me spill my coffee! And what are you doing here? I thought you had work?"

"Sorry, dear," he said, taking the cup from me and setting it on the table. "The goblins sent me home early. They didn't need me, on account of the rain. What are you reading?" he asked as he pulled out his wand, magicking the stain from the couch.

"Magic and Me: A Guide to Finding Your Magical Core." I shrugged. "Snape recommended it. Said it might help me figure out this whole Ultimate Power thing."

"Snape, huh? Are you going to continue taking private lessons with him next year?" Bill inquired, his voice sounding casual as his eyes showed worry.

"Yes," I said, confident in my answer. "Truth be told, he's the only one I think who could handle me." I mentally winced at the innuendo. "We somehow have gained a mutual respect for each other. It's unnerving... But we no longer have unbridled hate rule our thoughts." Bill sighed, something I picked up on. "But it appears that you don't share my sentiment."

"Oh, I don't know. I just... Be careful, all right? I'm not one hundred percent sure he can be trusted, and that makes me uneasy."

"Well it shouldn't. I can take care of myself."

He laughed. 'Yeah, I suppose you can."

A grin slid onto my face, and I leaned in closer to him. "You know what I just realized?" I asked, resting my book on the table.

"What?"

"We nearly have the entire house to ourselves."

Bill raised on eyebrow. "Do we, now? What do you mean, 'nearly?'"

"Sirius is upstairs," I explained. "But I haven't seen him all day. He's been with Buckbeak, and I don't think he'll be coming down soon."

"Curious," Bill said, leaning forward. "Curious indeed."

Our lips met, and the passion exploded between us. My tongue twined with his, his hands in my hair, my hands on his shoulder. Finally, we were out in the open. No more secrets. No more stolen kisses when no one was looking or sneaking off into a dark corner to make out. No more waiting until night. For the first time in our relationship, Bill and I were together like normal people, kissing on a couch without a care in the world.

Perhaps this newly liberated feeling caused our passionate sides to go into overdrive, because before we knew it, a desperate desire had built up between us, my heart thudding in my chest as the soft caressing of his hands in my hair moved lower, finding their way to my breasts.

A thrill ran through me. It had been almost a year since my last sexual encounter, and even if Bill and I didn't go all of the way, a beast had been awakened inside of me that would not lie dormant. Suddenly, I was on top of him, my hands pushing him down as his own slid up my shirt and into my bra, deftly unhooking the front clasp as he began to stroke my breasts.

His hands felt like heaven, and I could tell from his carefully measured movements and the way his body was reacting to mine that he'd done this before. He moved his hands down to the bottom of my shirt, prompting me to raise my arms above my head so he could take it off-

And then the front door opened.

We both froze, Bill's eyes going wide as we heard footsteps in the foyer, heading towards the living room. "Shit," I muttered, flying off of him as I grabbed for my book. My hair was a mess, my bra was undone, and I really did not want to see the person who had interrupted my alone time with Bill, but as Bill was adjusting himself, in walked Remus Lupin.

He glanced once around the room, before looking behind him quickly. "Have you seen Sirius?" he asked, almost casually.

I let out a silent sigh of relief. He'd seen nothing. We were okay. "I think he's in Buckbeak's room."

"All right," Remus said, a slight smile tugging on the corners of his lips. "Thank you."

And then he left. I sighed once more in frustration. He'd killed the mood for that? How lame.

Bill closed his eyes quickly. "That was close."

I snorted. "I'll say. He almost walked right in on us."

But Bill, to my surprise, shook his head. "No, I mean with us. You and me... What we were about to do..."

I raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

He studied me, looking into my eyes as I put my book back down. "Would you have been okay with that? With, more or less, changing the dynamic of our relationship as we added the physical aspect to it?"

I bit my lip. I hadn't really thought of it that way. "Yes," I said at last. "It feels... right to me. I like you. It wouldn't be something I'd regret."

"I don't want to pressure you-"

"You're not."

But Bill persisted. "I still think I'm moving too fast. You're so young-"

"But I'm okay, Bill. With us, with this... I'm okay." I put my hand on his cheek, smiling softly. "You're not pressuring me into anything. The timing is right. I'm here, on this couch, kissing you because I want to be. And if I didn't, then I'd let you know."

He shook his head, leaning in a bit to kiss me once more. "You be sure to do that, then."

"Of course."

His lips met mine, but this kiss was shorter than the last, with none of the wild passion from before, though it did contain the sweetness of caring. I smiled softly as his lips brushed slowly across mine once more before he pulled back again.

Footsteps sounded on the nearby staircase, and we pulled away once more, though this time I took a moment to re-hook my bra before Remus and Sirius entered the room.

"You aren't bored yet?" Sirius asked me, taking a seat in an armchair across from us.

"No. This book is exceptionally interesting," I lied smoothly.

"I thought you should know," Remus said, getting straight to the point as he stopped our friendly chatter. "The Daily Prophet is upping their anti-Harry-and-Dumbledore campaign. Not one kind word has been spoken about either for a month now, and they are both beginning to appear in the paper daily."

Damn. "Well that sucks."

Remus nodded. "Indeed. This will make it much harder to recruit. Bill, you may need to come with me to The Three Broomsticks after all for that," he gave me a quick glance, as if he was choosing his words carefully. "Uh, meeting."

Bill gave a small incline of his head. "Of course."

Sirius grinned at me. "That will leave just us, then. Oh how will we occupy our time?"

I gave him a crooked grin. "There is a deck of cards and a whole lot of cash upstairs that might be a hint."

Sirius barked out a laugh (no pun intended). "Well, I won't be as entertaining as your little boyfriend here, but a game of poker will work. It should keep you occupied enough so that you don't think about all the... fun you two could have been having otherwise." He waggled his eyebrows.

But I froze. He knew. How could he know? I mean, it's not like this was a life-altering revelation, but Bill and I had been trying so hard to keep this a secret... "How did you find out?" I asked at last.

This time, it was Remus's turn to let out a chuckle. "You must be joking. It was pretty obvious what the two of you were up to when I walked in. That, and the fact that you've been dragging each other into dark corners to snog all month have made the true nature of your relationship slightly obvious. Subtle, you are not."

Bill and I exchanged glances. "Well," I said at last. "That's good to know. Just, for the record, how long have you-"

"Two weeks."

"Ah." I nodded, thoughtful. "And does anyone else-"

"Not to our knowledge," Sirius said. "Don't worry. Remus and I won't tell. It'll be our little secret."

I snorted, though, wondering for how long that would last.

* * *

"Hermione!"

"Ginny!"

"Hermione!"

"Avery!"

"Hey!"

The brunette witch giggled as she unwrapped her arms from around my waist. "Hello to you too, Ron."

Finally, she was here, having arrived straight from Victor's house in Bulgaria. She had a slight summer tan to her, her hair less frizzy than it normally was, though I suspected that was due to the reduced stress rate.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the brightest witch of her age."

Hermione stepped back, a slight smile on her face. "Hello, Sirius."

"Good to have you with us. It will make the spring cleaning more bearable," Sirius said, bringing his big hand down on her shoulder.

"Glad I can be of service."

"Hermione, dear, I hate to rush you along, but members of the Order will be arriving soon, and we really must clear out the foyer, so..."

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley. Avery and Ginny will show me where I'll be staying, won't you?"

I mock saluted her. "Whatever you say, sergeant."

* * *

Hours later, we were unpacked, fed, and alone in our room. A large mattress was placed strategically in between Ginny's and my beds, and Hermione's stuff was placed in a pile by the door. I cursed as I tripped over her shoes, nearly falling flat on my face before I managed to get hold of the corner of my bed. Ginny laughed. "Well this will certainly make it harder for you to sneak out and spend the night with my brother, won't it?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow as I righted myself. "I'm sorry, what?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't spend the night with him. I just... spend time with him, that's all."

"Uh-huh. And I've killed seven people with spaghetti. Do be serious," Ginny mocked.

"I am!"

"Excuse me," Hermione interjected. "But what was that about you and Bill?"

I sighed. Great. Now four people would know. "We're sort of... Seeing each other."

An amused grin blossomed on Hermione's face. "Really? Despite the strict conservative nature of the wizarding world?"

I shot her a confused look. "How the hell would you know about that? You're a muggle-born."

She shrugged. "I've done my research." Silence permeated the air as she stood, circling me slowly as she studied my face. "Yes," she said at last, nodding to herself. "I can see it. You're a good match for him. Much better than you were for Alejandros, anyway."

I groaned. Why was everyone suddenly talking about me being a good match for him? We'd only been dating for almost six weeks! "Not you too!" My eyes snapped open. "Especially since you've yet to tell me what went on with you and Viktor! Spill!"

A faint blush fell over her cheeks. "Nothing happened," she muttered.

"Oh no," Ginny said, kneeling in front of us on her bed. "You're lying! I can tell. Come on; you can't keep something like this from us."

"There's nothing to tell," the bookworm protested. "We finished things amicably. The end."

Ginny and I exchanged mischievous glances before Ginny probed further. "And just what happened before you ended things amicably?"

Her blush deepened. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, just tell us already! Did you sleep with him or not," I said bluntly.

"No!" Hermione said forcefully, though her blush stayed in place. "I didn't sleep with him."

I sensed the hesitation. "But..."

She sighed, knowing she couldn't escape us. "But I snogged him. A lot. And sometimes his hands would wander a bit... Never any lower than my waist mind you, but still-"

"Aw!" I crooned. "My little Gryffindor is getting felt up! I'm so proud." I turned on Ginny. "And it appears that soon, you'll be in Hermione's boat as well."

Ginny's eyes widened. "Your lips are a little loose, aren't they?"

Hermione laughed, though, as the attention was redirected away from her. "You have a boyfriend, do you? Who is he?"

With a sigh, Ginny delved into the tale of her romantic life. And so, our first all-nighter of the summer began.

* * *

"Oh, thank god for coffee," I muttered as I stumbled into the kitchen the next morning, half asleep. While all-nighters were enjoying at the time, I've found that the morning after is always extremely unpleasant. Ginny and Hermione seemed to agree with me, collapsing in their seats besides me while Mrs. Weasley poured them some tea. Sirius sat across from us, The Daily Prophet in his hand.

"Morning mum," Fred and George said, popping into the kitchen from out of nowhere. When I'd first arrived at Grimmauld Place, their sudden appearances scared the hell out of me. Even after the concept of apparition was explained to me, I found it a little unnerving that two people could just pop up out of thin air. However, over time I had grown accustomed to it, and while I wasn't exactly overjoyed by their unanticipated arrival, I was at least used to it.

"Morning boys," Mrs. Weasley said, kissing Fred and George on their cheeks. "The toast will be ready in a minute."

"Thanks," they said simultaneously.

Ron pushed through the door then, taking a seat next to Hermione. "So," he said, throwing the brunette a grin. "How do you like it here so far?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You act as if I'm in another country."

"Well you've never been here before," Ron protested as Fred and George took their seats beside Sirius. "I just thought I'd be polite."

"Well then thank you, Ronald. Everything is fine." Sirius and I exchanged amused glances. While the rest of the room may have been oblivious, Sirius and I were both keenly aware of the sexual tension between the two of them. I think both of us were secretly wondering when they'd finally suck it up and get together... "Ginny, could you pass the-" She stopped short, her eyes drifting over to the entrance of the room where Severus Snape stood.

He had snuck in silently, much like he had a few weeks ago when he'd come to tell Mrs. Weasley about the Order meeting. As it was, he nodded towards our table, a small look of disgust gracing his features before he turned towards Mrs. Weasley. "Molly."

She gave a small incline of her head. "Severus."

"Dumbledore has asked me to check in with you, as I was unable to make last night's meeting due to... a rather unfortunate incident," he sneered. "You are to fill me in on the details discussed."

Molly nodded sharply, turning back towards the stove. "Of course. Take a seat. I'll be with you when I'm done."

I could see the Slytherin's jaw clench. "Molly, I really don't have time for-"

"Then leave," Mrs. Weasley said, facing him once more. "I'm sorry, Severus, but once breakfast is finished, we can talk."

His sneer intensified as he sat at the end of the table, right next to me. Great. "Very well."

Silence permeated the kitchen, no one really sure what they should talk about in front of the Bastard of the Dungeons. Fred and George began conspiring with Sirius, whispering to each other furiously. Meanwhile, Hermione and Ron were getting into another awkward, silent argument. I sighed as I poured myself a second cup of coffee for the day. After a moments pause, I pushed the pot over to Snape. He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly surprised by my gesture. I shrugged. "You'll need it," I said simply. Without a word of thanks, he conjured his own mug, and poured himself a cup.

Well, at least he hadn't sneered at me.

In a creepy imitation of the last time Snape had been here, Bill once again stepped into the room, a smile on his face. "Morning, Mum," he said, kissing his mother's cheek. "Everyone else," he said, giving me a quick pout due to the fact that we weren't sitting anywhere near each other before climbing into the space next to George.

I sighed. Of course Snape had to snake my boyfriend's spot. He'd probably done it because it was as far away from Sirius as possible (by now, I'd learned that they hated each other with a fiery passion), but that didn't mean I wasn't annoyed.

Hermione reached around Ron, tapping my arm to get my attention. I leaned over. "Are you and Bill fighting?" she whispered to me. Ron, being in the middle, heard this, and his head swiveled in my direction.

Now, in my defense, I was absolutely still tired from the all nighter Ginny, Hermione, and I had pulled. If I hadn't been, there's no way I would have been stupid enough to answer that... "No," I said, cocking my head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

"Well isn't it obvious?" Hermione inquired. "I mean, he kissed his mother, but not you. Surely you must be fighting."

Shit.

Ron did a double-take, looking at Hermione with inquisitive eyes. "Wait, why would Avery want to kiss Bill?" Except unlike Hermione and myself, he wasn't whispering.

Once again: Shit.

"I'm sorry, what?" Fred asked, his head snapping to look at me as his twin peered at Bill. "Did you just say something about kissing Bill?"

Hermione's eyes widened as she realized her error. "They didn't know," she whispered, seemingly horrified by her actions.

"Well they do now," I muttered.

"Bill?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her eyes growing wide as her eldest son blushed. "How long?"

"Almost five weeks," he said weakly.

Mrs. Weasley's jaw dropped, as if she was surprised by the amount of time her son could keep a secret from her. "Upstairs. Now."

Fred chuckled, shaking his head as his older brother stood and marched from the room, his eyes focused straight ahead as a blush permeated his skin. "I should have known. You two are together. Why didn't we see it before?"

"We're absolutely daft," George agreed.

"Totally blind."

"Ludicrously inane."

"Naive and foolish."

"You don't seem to be too surprised, though," George accused suddenly, turning towards Sirius.

The mutt shrugged, a wide grin unfolding on his face. "Well I'm not. I, unlike you lot, actually pay attention to my surroundings."

A dark chuckle sounded from my right, and I turned, glancing at Snape as he took another sip of his coffee, his black eyes dark in the morning light. "You have something to add?" I asked.

"Oh nothing at all," he said, putting his cup down. "I just hadn't realized your IQ had slipped so low."

Sirius growled, but I just raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You're dating a Weasley," Snape drawled. "Someone who I taught, and who I found to be as incompetent as every dunderhead that graces my classroom to be. Maybe he's better than that last idiot you were traipsing around with, but he's still lower on Darwin's scale of evolution than most mammals."

Despite the fact that he was brutally insulting my potential lover, a chuckle managed to escape me at his reference. "How does a wizard like you know about Darwin?"

"You forget, Miss Nouvelli, that, like you, I also have the summers off from Hogwarts. I've found that learning about Muggle affairs during these months helps to keep me informed of the world as we know it."

I nodded, considering. "Well suppose what you said is true... Not the stuff about what you do in the summer, I mean. The things about Bill. Your claim is that I'm a complete moron for dating a Weasley... And yet, I still managed to end up with the eldest one. The one with a job, a place to live... well, when he's not here, anyway. He has a solid reputation and a steady income. If I was really as stupid as you claimed, wouldn't I have been with Ron? No offense," I said, turning quickly to the youngest Weasley.

Snape looked at me for a moment, his eyes studying my face as I stared him down. Finally, he tilted his head back, once more downing the rest of his coffee in one big gulp. "Touché," he said, before standing up and quickly moving out the door.

He was only gone for a moment before Ron shook me. "What the hell was that?"

I winced. "I know, sorry for insulting you. It was just the only way I could-"

"Not that! You just argued with Snape," Ron stated, a look of awe overcoming his features.

"So?"

"So you're still alive!" Fred pointed out, shaking his head in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's because we kind of respect each other."

George blanched at that. "You like the git?"

I rolled my eyes. "Hell no. Did I say that? No, as much as I hate the greasy bastard, I still respect him. I have to. I see him way too often not to."

* * *

Near midnight of the same evening, I crept into Bill's room, glad that the majority of the household seemed to be asleep. After the morning's explosive breakfast, Bill had rushed off to work. I think part of the reason he was so keen to leave was to avoid the awkwardness of a newly discovered relationship.

I, sadly, didn't have that luxury.

After spending the rest of the day going through the library cleaning the shelves as I listened to the Weasley's taunt me about Bill, I was more than ready for some quality alone time with him.

He opened the door, answering to my knock and beckoning me inside. "Hey," I said softly, walking past him to perch on the edge of his bed as he shut the door, locking it casually with his wand and placing a silencing spell on the room. "How did it go with your mother this morning."

He chuckled, putting his wand on his desk. "Okay, I guess. She's absolutely furious that I've been keeping this from her. She's not mad at you, though. Says you're a young girl and are bound to make stupid mistakes. But I should apparently have had the maturity to tell my mother that I'm in a relationship."

I smiled wryly as he sat in the chair across from me. "Of course you should have."

"She questioned me endlessly, asking how serious we were, what we did together, if we were 'romantically involved.' The questions would have most likely continued through to the afternoon if Snape hadn't barged in. That's probably the only decent thing he's ever done."

"So what did you say?" I asked. "To the last question, I mean."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well I told the truth. I mean we aren't... sexually involved. Yet."

"Please tell me you don't plan on telling her when that changes."

"Never." He paused as my words sunk in. "When that changes?"

"Yes," I said, standing from the bed as I stepped closer to his chair. "When that changes." I leaned down, bringing my face so it was an inch from his own. "Is that all right with you?"

A light grin crossed over his features as he brought his hand up to grace my cheek. "Perfect." Our lips came together, and unlike the last time we'd kissed when passion had exploded between us, this time we kissed slowly, sensually.

I could feel his warm breath against my cheek as I eased myself onto his lap, straddling him as we continued to kiss. His hand tangled itself in my hair, gently running his fingers through it as his other hand cupped my cheek. A warm feeling of joy began to grow within my chest as I pulled back slightly, looking into his blue eyes as the realization struck me that I was starting to fall hard for this man.

As cliché as it sounded, I'd never felt like this before. When I had dated Tyler, our affection for each other had been about exploration. We were young; we were naive. We liked each other, and we wanted so desperately to find someone to love.

With Alejandros, he's been a way to mark time. He had been someone I could be with just for the sake of it. He was a friend I could kiss, nothing more.

But Bill... Bill was special. He was someone who could make me feel appreciated, worth something, and even loved. He was someone I could trust, someone I could have fun with. He was amazing.

And as this realization reverberated within me, my movements began to get more and more erratic. My hands began to smooth their way up and down his chest as the kiss was deepened, taking on a frenzied motion. The hand that was twined in my hair began to pull on it, grasping it as his other hand ran up and down my side.

We broke apart for a moment, locking eyes. In that second of silence (save for our ragged breathing), an entire conversation passed between us. Did we want this? Were we ready? Would this be okay?

We decided it would, immediately kissing each other again with a renewed fervor. In one smooth motion, I'd thrown his shirt off, and in the same instant, he'd sprung up, pushing me up off of him as he stood and shoved me onto the bed, hovering on top of me as he began to continue the kiss.

"Bill," I murmured in his ear as his hand began to slide over my stomach, gripping the edge of my shirt. God he was perfect. Nevertheless, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were forgetting something...

"Mmm," he muttered back. And just like that, my shirt was up and over my head, thrown on the floor. His eyes were alight with a renewed lust as he ran his hands over my bra-clad breasts, and his desire only served to entice me further, making me forget about whatever I'd already forgotten.

I kissed his neck as he once again released the clasp on my bra, slowly removing it from me as his eyes ran over my chest. I ran my hand through his hair, breathing in deeply as he bent his head, about to brush his lips against my chest-

"Bloody hell!"

"They can't just do that!"

"I'll go down to the ministry myself, Merlin I swear-"

"No Sirius! You can't."

Bill and I sprang apart, each breathing heavily as we listened to the commotion going on outside our door. I stared at him, regret filling me as the mood was ruined. Regret soon transformed to worry, however, as the shouting continued. "Do you-"

He shook his head, understanding what I meant. "No idea."

I bit my lip. The mood was dead now, anyway. "Should we..." I let the question hang unanswered. At the same time, Bill and I sprang into action, him grabbing for his shirt as I grabbed mine and my bra. In seconds we were dressed again and at the door, looking out into the hallway where everyone was congregated.

Sirius was closest to us. "What's going on?"

He turned, giving us a look and rolling his eyes as he realized we'd both just come from Bill's room. Nevertheless, he said nothing about it. Oh shit. If Sirius wasn't going to mock me, than this was big. "Arthur Weasley just sent me a letter. Harry's been expelled from Hogwarts."

* * *

Yes it _has_ been an unusually long time since I've updated. Yes I _did_ write a longer chapter to make up for it. I'm so sorry, but the good news is that my junior year of high school is finally over! Woohoo!

So things in this story are finally starting to happen, including the arrival of Harry in the next chapter...

Thank you all for standing loyal to me and continuing to read and review! Speaking of reviews, thank you to meandthedoctor, xNadiiLiciiOus, sailor-tin-foil, xxbabyxox, tree1138, julieakaweirdo, brilliantblonde, JeanMarie09, and GumiBearOnAShortBus. Also, thanks to my anonymous reviewers impatient and none of your business. I really appreciate it!

So please, do me a favor and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... and I Love it!

Lurve,

-Selene


	5. Trial

Waiting sucks.

That's not really news, if you think about it. People are forced to wait around all the time. At amusement parks, the grocery store, the DMV... Waiting is a natural part of human life.

But it still sucks.

An Order meeting was being conducted in the kitchen downstairs as they all tried to figure out what to do with Harry's predicament. Would they go to trial? What would his chances be? Would the _Daily Prophet _advertise this?

Fred, Ginny and George hovered near the door, trying their new Extendable Ears in an effort to garner some new information. And the rest of us? Well, Hermione, Ron, and myself were sitting in the girl's room. Waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

Swell.

"Shouldn't he be here by now?" Ron asked as he paced the miniscule length of the room. "The Order went out to get him hours ago."

"You know Moody," Hermione said as she attempted to sooth him. "They're probably taking many defensive routes in an effort to lose any imaginary people following them. It's nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about? Are you daft? You-Know-Who could attack them at any minute!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she stretched out on her bed. "I hardly think he's going to do that, Ron. The world doesn't even know he exists yet. He's not going to start a fight in public."

"That's why it's so brilliant," Ron exclaimed, tugging at his hair. "No one will be expecting it. They could be blindsided!"

"Ron, Harry is with some of the top aurors-"

"Aurors can't be caught in a trap? Aurors can't make mistakes?"

"Ron, please. All of this worry isn't helping-"

"Well what else are we going to do? We're bloody useless!"

"It doesn't matter, anymore," I said, speaking up for the first time as a warm feeling built up in my gut.

Ron frowned, the blood running from his face. "Why? Did... Did something happen?"

"No," I said, a small smile sliding onto my lips. "Harry's here."

* * *

"Harry! How-"

"Harry! Oh Merlin, Harry, it's so good to see you!" Hermione shrieked as she threw her arms around him, cutting me off in my greeting. I blinked, slightly annoyed. "Are you all right? What happened with the dementors? Personally, I think them expelling you is illegal, and I'm going to do loads of research to help your case-"

"Okay, Hermione, give him a rest," Ron said, smiling up at his best friend.

Harry looked between the three of us. "All of you have been here... but none of you wrote anything useful in your letters."

I opened my mouth to explain, but Hermione beat me to it. "Oh, we wanted to Harry, we really did! But Dumbledore made us promise not to say anything to you. Otherwise we would have. You know we would have!"

He nodded. "I see."

There was a tension in the air, one that Harry exuded as he regarded the three of us with caution. Hermione tilted her head to the side. "He probably thought you were safer not knowing."

He scoffed. "Right, because as everyone knows, knowledge is _not_ power."

I made a face. "You modified a cliché to make your point?"

"Harry, about the trial... they have to let you off, mate," Ron said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Of course they will," he said, trying to portray a confidence that I could tell he didn't have. He was scared. His whole world might have just changed. In truth, I would have been afraid as well. "So why _did _Dumbledore want to keep me uninformed?"

Hermione and I exchanged looks. He was trying so hard to be casual, but the two of us could tell that his temper was flaring, and when it exploded... "He said the owls might be intercepted," Ron said finally.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Is that the only way you can communicate? Through owl?"

Uh-oh.

"We wanted to tell you, Harry," Hermione protested. "But we couldn't."

"You couldn't tell me what was going on in a war that I'm fighting in?"

"Well we didn't know. We weren't allowed into the Order meetings-" Harry's face darkened.

Oh shit, here it comes...

"YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED IN THE ORDER MEETINGS? OH, WELL IN THAT CASE, YOU MUST NOT KNOW _ANYTHING_ ABOUT THE WAR! AT LEAST YOU'VE HAD EACH OTHER! I'VE BEEN STUCK ALONE FOR TWO WHOLE MONTHS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE?"

"Harry-" Ron began. But it was futile. Harry, had already begun his tirade, and he wasn't going to stop now. The anger he felt was evident on his face, his eyes wide in disbelief at how horrible we could be, and I instantly felt bad. He was right. We should have said _something_.

"AFTER ALL THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, YOU CAN'T BOTHER TO TELL ME ANYTHING? YOU CAN'T EVEN BOTHER TO TELL ME THAT YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING? ISN'T THAT COMMON DECENCY?"

Oh. He had a point there. It probably would have been smart to let him know that. Then, at the very least, he wouldn't have been shanghaied by all of our apparent knowledge...

"BUT WHY SHOULD I KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON? HMM? APPARENTLY, I DON'T DESERVE TO KNOW ANYTHING!"

I protested. "You know that's not true."

"DO I? DO I REALLY? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF I DID DESERVE TO LEARN THE TRUTH, I WOULDN'T BE FORCED TO RESORT TO SCOURING THROUGH THE PAPERS FOR NEWS. THAT I WOULD BE HERE LEARNING ABOUT THE TRUTH WITH YOU-"

"You're right," Hermione cried out, her eyes welling up with tears. "Harry, you're right. We should have told you the truth. I'm so, so sorry."

"Really," I said as well, nodding to him. "What we did was wrong."

This seemed to mollify him a bit, and he stopped shouting. He sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair as he glared at us. "Where am I, anyway? And what's the Order of the Phoenix?"

And so we told him. We told him how this was Sirius' house. We explained that the Order of the Phoenix was, more or less, the Anti-Voldemort League. We mentioned that while we weren't sure what the Order was up to, we did know that they were recruiting new members and trailing Death Eaters.

Harry paused to take it all in. "Well if you haven't been at the meetings, then what have you been doing?"

"Cleaning house," I said simply. "This room is habitable because of our sweat, blood, and tears, you know."

Harry rolled his eyes. "That's it? That doesn't sound so- AARGH!"

The four of us jumped as Fred and George apparated into the room, identical grins on their faces. "Hello Harry," Fred said with a grin. "Long time, no hear."

"Quite a bit of shouting you were doing earlier," George agreed. "I reckon Aunt Muriel might of heard you. She's on vacation in Scotland."

"So you've learned to apparate, then," Harry said, glaring at the twins.

Fred's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Well look at that, George. I think the boy is right! It appears that we _have_ learned how to apparate!"

"It's a miracle!"

"It's a shocker!"

"It's-"

"-Incredibly annoying when you two do that," a voice from the doorway said. We turned, seeing Ginny as she walked into the room. "Hello, Harry," she greeted before turning to Ron and myself. "In case the terrible twosome hasn't already told you, the Extendable Ears aren't working. Mum charmed the door so they can't get under it."

"Damn," I swore. So much for learning information the easy way.

"But," Ginny said with a raised eyebrow. "There's still one option left."

"Really?" Ron asked. "And what would that be? Because last I checked, the extendable ears were our _only_ option."

Ginny smiled sweetly, and a horrible feeling rose in my gut. "Well, Avery could coerce Bill into telling her things in a... private setting."

I groaned. "Oh please don't go there."

"Go where?" Harry asked, the confusion and anger he felt mingling together on his face.

"Avery and our brother are shagging now," Fred stage-whispered.

"We are not!" I protested. Never mind that earlier in the day we'd been about to... "We're just dating!"

"Congratulations," Harry said in a grumpy manner.

"Thanks."

"So what _has _been going on?" Harry asked. "I mean, there hasn't been anything in the _Prophet_ about the war!"

Hermione paled considerably as the Weasleys and I exchanged looks. "Oh, so you have been reading the paper," Hermione said, trying desperately to sound casual. "Have you been reading it... thoroughly?"

Harry scowled. "I don't think I'd need to read the paper thoroughly to read that Voldemort's back, Hermione." A shudder ran through the room at the name.

"Oh. So you... you don't know what they're saying about you?"

Harry growled. "What _who_ is saying about me?"

Hermione was spared from having to answer though by Molly Weasley. Mrs. Weasley stepped into the room, a small smile on her face. "Hello, Harry. I apologize for rushing you upstairs right away, but the meeting is over now, and everyone is dying to see you in the kitchen. Come along."

Mercifully, Harry followed her without complaint, traipsing down the stairs and through the hallway. He still exuded anger, but at least now he was making an effort to contain that for Mrs. Weasley's sake. She spoke to him as she led him toward the kitchen. "Quiet now, we don't want to-"

_CRASH!_

Mrs. Weasley sighed as the screaming started. "Wake the portrait," she muttered before shouting, "Tonks!" She ran off in the direction of the foyer.

Screaming could be heard over the sound of Mrs. Weasley berating Tonks, and before long, Sirius had joined the fray himself, moving quickly to shut the curtains over his mother's portrait and silence the noise.

And just like that, godfather and godson were reunited.

* * *

Dinner was a rambunctious affair, complete with Fred and George breaking things, Tonks changing her face, and Sirius and Harry laughing together, bringing that spark of joy back into the latter's eyes.

However, the light-hearted mood couldn't last for long, and it was Sirius that brought up the much darker topics. "So," he said, giving Harry a quizzical stare. "Why aren't you demanding answers about Voldemort?"

Immediately, the room sobered, Tonks going back to her normal appearance as Remus sighed, knowing that the fun was over.

"I tried!" Harry said, his righteous indignation making a reappearance. "But Avery, Ron, and Hermione said that they didn't know anything."

"They don't," Mrs. Weasley stated firmly. "So neither should you."

"That's not your decision, Molly-"

"It's not yours either, Sirius!" I felt like I was watching a tennis match, my head snapping back and forth between all of the arguing parties in an effort to figure out what would happen next.

"Hold on!" George interrupted. "What about us? If Harry's going to learn stuff-"

"He's not!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"Then so should we," Fred finished for his brother. "I mean, we are, after all, of age!"

"No one is learning anything-"

"He has a right to know," Sirius argued.

"_He's too young!"_ she spun around, facing her husband. "Right, Arthur?"

Ron's dad sighed, shaking his head. "It's not our call, Molly."

"But-"

"Molly, Harry needs to have some knowledge for his own safety," Remus jumped in, using rationality to present his argument. "You know as well as I do that if he doesn't learn the basic facts from us, he'll poke around until he finds them himself."

Mrs. Weasley knew she was going to lose. Her face grew red as she looked back and forth between the two men, begging for them to change their minds. "He's a child, Remus."

"Perhaps he should decide what should be done, though," Remus offered. "Harry-"

"I want answers," the Boy Who Lived said immediately, his eyes hard.

"Fine," Mrs. Weasley snapped. "In that case, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Avery, Ginny... All of you, upstairs. Now."

"Hold on, now," Fred said, climbing to his feet. "In case you've forgotten. We're _of age!_"

"You can't kick us out!" George protested.

"No-"

"Molly," Mr. Weasley weakly pointed out. "You technically can't stop them. They're adults."

Her jaw was clenched as she answered. "Fine. But the rest of you-"

I jumped in. "Actually, while I might not be an adult yet, I'm probably almost as qualified as Fred and George are to hear this, considering that I'm _almost_ of age, and I have a unique... circumstance that makes my knowledge of these things a lot more imperative."

But Mrs. Weasley just shook her head. "No-"

"Of course, if you don't let me stay," I said sweetly. "Then I'll just have to use my future-seeking abilities to garner a half-baked version of the truth, thus putting myself, and by extension Harry, into mortal danger as we try and make sense of what I saw."

"Fine, but the rest-"

"Harry and Avery will tell us everything!" Ron protested. "They won't let us be in the dark, right?"

"Right," Harry said, though I could hear that the word was a little strained.

"Totally," I added.

Mrs. Weasley sighed, her face flushed ruby red now. "Then Ginny-"

"Avery, Hermione, and I share a room, Mum," she said quickly. "They'll tell me everything, too."

"FINE!" she huffed, collapsing into a nearby seat, completely exhausted.

Sirius raised an eyebrow at us, pausing to make sure Mrs. Weasley wouldn't change her mind before he prompted Harry. "So..."

"How come Voldemort has stopped killing people?" Again, the room flinched, but it was less noticeable this time.

Remus answered. "He probably wanted to avoid drawing attention to himself. He's already got you running around, saying that he's back. He doesn't need anymore publicity, lest people start to believe you."

"So what have you been doing, then?"

"Working to stop his plans," Sirius said.

"And... what are his plans?"

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances before the former answered slowly. "Dumbledore thinks he wants to recruit more Death Eaters. Get his army improved. Maybe recruit the giants."

I blinked. Real giants actually existed?

"So how are you trying to stop that," Harry asked, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"By convincing people he's back," Remus said firmly.

"Which the Ministry is making extremely bloody difficult," Sirius muttered.

"And that's another thing," Harry said suddenly. "Why won't they admit that he's back?"

"Fear, Harry. Fear can do funny things to you. It can change who you are. They don't want to believe Voldemort's back," Sirius said, a slight bitterness showing on his face. "They don't want to _believe_ that Dumbledore is telling the truth."

They were all blind, I realized. Blind and ignorant and it would slowly begin to kill the wizarding world. Voldemort was weak now. He had few followers and could be easily taken out. But no. They were turning a blind eye to him because of fear...

_"How can it be useful to him? It's just information-"_

_"Don't be daft," the silky voice of Severus Snape commanded. "Information can always be useful. And if not, it can be twisted and mangled until it _is_ useful. No, the Dark Lord wishes to have it. He will make a weapon out of it."_

"...Else is he after?" I heard, coming back from my vision in time to hear Harry ask that.

Immediately, my mind jumped from the vision to our discussion, knowing that they were connected. "What is he trying to make into a weapon?"

Sirius' eyes widened as he and Remus exchanged glances. "Where did you hear-"

"I'm psychic, remember? Now what weapon?"

"Something to... increase his power," Remus said after a slight hesitation.

"Something he didn't have last time," Sirius elaborated.

As Mrs. Weasley stopped the flow of the conversation, saying that we now knew more than enough, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of foreboding rise up in my stomach. This was not good.

* * *

Later that night, Ginny, Hermione, and I laid in bed, the darkness of the room surrounding us as we discussed what we learned. We whispered, so as not to be heard by Mrs. Weasley, who had taken to patrolling the halls in an effort to get us all to sleep.

"Obviously he's going to try and recruit people," Hermione was saying. "The more followers he has, the better his chances of succeeding are. If we want to stop him, we need to do something drastic."

"What, you mean like catch him?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that all?"

"No," Hermione said. I heard her mattress rustle as she rolled over onto her back. "We need some way for Harry to tell his story that would guarantee that people would listen."

"Hermione, they won't even listen to Dumbledore," Ginny pointed out. "They aren't going to listen to Harry. He's just a kid."

"Well we have to convince people somehow. Preferably before You-Know-Who gets ahold of his weapon."

We paused as footsteps creaked outside the room, the sound of Mrs. Weasley passing by our door to make sure we were asleep. As the footsteps faded, Ginny sat up. "What do you suppose it is? The weapon, I mean."

"No idea," Hermione confessed. Then she turned to me. "Wait. Couldn't you... I don't know, creep into the future and see-"

But I was already shaking my head. "I tried, but it's no use. I don't have enough details. We don't know what it is except that it's information of some sort. That's hardly enough to try and coerce a vision."

Hermione sighed. "Well then. We had better hope that whatever it is, You-Know-Who stays far away from it for now."

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur. Us children went back to cleaning the house, Sirius jumping in to help us every now and then, though he was more of a hinderance than a help, to be honest. However, he was truly happy again, now that Harry was back. He was constantly smiling and laughing. It was good to see him like that. The man had too much sorrow in his life already. He should take what little bliss he could find.

However, as the date of Harry's trial approached, a more somber air had begun to take hold over the house's inhabitants. No one was really sure what would happen. Everyone knew that Harry was innocent, but with the stupidity of the Ministry, no one was entirely sure of the outcome.

Swell.

Ron had once prodded me into scouring the future for the outcome of the trial. But after I had checked, I shook my head. "Everything is still up in the air," I'd said, giving Harry an apologetic look. "The jury is pretty divided. Your testimony is going to sway them one way or the other, because there is no clear answer now."

Harry had just rolled his eyes, trying to feign confidence. "So no pressure, then."

Much to my displeasure, Bill was working later and later as he tried to convince certain goblins that war was bad for business, and that they should really join our side. However, the goblins were stubborn, and according to Remus, he was making no leeway.

Life wasn't completely dull, however. Mrs. Weasley and Sirius began bickering more and more, and while it may have made Harry feel uncomfortable, it was a great show for the rest of us. Both were rather quick on their feet, thus making their verbal sparring that much better. It was our sole form of entertainment.

It's kind of pathetic...

* * *

Harry awoke before the rest of us on the day of his trial, and he was gone before we were given a chance to wish him well. The morning was, therefore, spent in agony as we all congregated into the kitchen to await his fate. Hermione and Ron sat together worry covering their features as nearby, Ginny, Fred, and George discussed Quidditch, trying to take their minds off of the problem at hand.

I manned the coffeepot, downing more cups of the caffeinated beverage than I probably should have. But I couldn't help it. I was worried. What would happen if Harry got expelled? Where would he go? Voldemort was after him; he was only truly safe at Hogwarts. So if he wasn't allowed to go back...

Sometime during my coffee extravaganza, Sirius approached me. "I see I'm not the only worried party in this room."

I rolled my eyes. "It's not just me, you know. Look around; everyone's freaked."

"As they should be. With those daft ministry officials, who knows what will happen," Sirius pointed out. He paused before confessing, "I don't really know which way I want this trial to go."

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He elaborated. "If he gets off, he'll go back to Hogwarts, and I'll be alone again... Don't get me wrong! I think Harry deserves an education, and that this whole thing is absolutely ridiculous, but... a part of me doesn't want to be alone."

"He can still send you owls, you know."

Sirius shook his head. "It's not the same."

A warm feeling rose in my gut and I smiled to myself before shrugging at Sirius. "Well you might want to get used to it."

"Why?"

In answer, I addressed the room. "Hey!" I called, gathering the attention of everybody. My face broke out into a grin. "He got off!"

* * *

I snuck into Bill's room just after midnight, a bottle of firewhiskey in my hand. "We have to celebrate," I said as he shut the door. "Harry is officially free of all charges."

Bill chuckled. "So I heard. Did you snag that from the kitchen?"

"You know me too well," I said, giving him a quick kiss on the mouth. I pulled back, my face inches from his. "Hi."

"Hi." He leaned in again, gently kissing me as he tugged me down to sit on the bed. He pulled back. "So. What did you have in mind for a celebration?"

I smiled up at him. Days ago, I had realized what Bill and I had forgotten the last time we'd been in this position. I felt like an idiot; how could I possibly forget _that_. "Is there such a thing as a contraceptive spell?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah."

I grinned. "Then I have an idea as to how we can spend our time." And with that, I pulled his face down to mine, kissing him long and hard.

And this time, we weren't interrupted.

* * *

Woohoo! Here's the next chapter! Thank you to all of my reviewers (I would list you out, but I'm leaving for the day in three minutes and I figured you'd rather have the chapter then your name). I love you all; you make my day!

So RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	6. The Return

The days continued to drag on, and Harry finally began to realize that life at Grimmauld Place was not as exciting as he had assumed. He was coerced into helping us clean the house, as we moved from redoing the foyer into straightening up the living room. Many dark objects and books with funny stains on the covers were quickly removed from our presence by Molly and Sirius.

Bill would continually pop in and out of the house. He'd stay for a few days, spending, uh, let's say _time_ with me, and then he'd leave again, running out to do whatever the Order requested of him. I wasn't too fond of the arrangement. Ever since we'd slept together, I'd felt myself growing more and more attached to him. He was a genuinely good person, and I loved having him around.

I _really_ liked him.

However, the summer continued to progress, and before we knew it, August was almost half over. The beginning of the school year was approaching quickly, and it wasn't long before I was writing to Tyler, getting our rehearsal schedule in place. Snape had also owl'd me, informing me of the days we'd be working on the Ultimate Power crap together.

Things were beginning to fall into place.

The letters arrived a few days before we were set to leave, and Hermione quickly explained to me what they were. "They contain information about the upcoming school year. You know, things we'll need to buy, new rules... It's all pretty basic."

"For you, perhaps, but in case you've forgotten, I didn't get a letter last year." No, instead I'd received the scare of a lifetime in the form of a visit from Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape.

Yeah, that was _fun_.

Hermione didn't respond, however. Instead, she shrieked. "Oh Merlin!"

I turned quickly, immediately concerned. "What? Are you okay?"

"Look at this!" she cried, holding up a scarlet and gold badge. "Look at it!"

"I'm looking..." I waved my hand at her. "What is it?"

"It's a prefect's badge! Avery, I've been made a prefect!"

I cocked an eyebrow. "You mean one of those asses that always yells at us for the dumbest of things?"

But she ignored me. "Oh, I bet Harry's got one too! Dumbledore was bound to pick him! I have to go see," she said quickly, leaping from the bed in an effort to get out the door. I let out a sigh, but followed her anyway.

Harry and Ron's room was overtly crowded. In addition to the two boys, Fred and George stood there as well. Hermione was currently staring at Ron in shock. "Well... I guess... Congratulations, Ron! We'll both be prefects together, then."

"What did I miss?" I muttered to Fred.

"The upset of the year," he whispered back.

The room became even more crowded, all of a sudden, as Mrs. Weasley entered, folded robes in her hands. "I'll be picking up your books today at Diagon Alley while you pack, so if there is anything else you need, let me know, all right?"

"Ron will need a new sense of humor," George said with a roll of his eyes. "As his will be destroyed by his new position."

Mrs. Weasley seemed a bit preoccupied as she answered, placing the robes on Ron's bed. "What are you talking about?"

"He's just been made a _prefect,_" Fred stated.

It took a moment for his words to register, but when they did, Mrs. Weasley let out an earsplitting shriek as she flung her arms around her youngest son.

* * *

Dinner that night was akin to a party. It was our last night at Grimmauld Place, and everyone wanted to have a grand time. I sat between Sirius and Bill, and spent the evening alternating between refereeing playful arguments between Sirius and Remus, and flirting with my boyfriend.

The entire Weasley family was there (minus Percy), as were a few select members of the Order. With such a large crowd, the topics of conversation were all over the place, ranging from politics to magic, to love. Fred and George were doing business in one corner, Ron was lamenting about his new broom in another, and Hermione kept trying to preach about elf rights.

Sometime, as the night wore on, people started to trickle upstairs, leaving to get a good nights sleep. It wasn't long before Bill was grabbing my hand, leading me to the door. "We should probably go," he whispered.

He led me down the hall and up the stairs, towards his room. A great sense of anticipation was building within me. I knew we needed to talk, and the thought of that terrified me.

When we'd first begun dating a couple of months ago, we hadn't thought ahead. We'd assumed that we wouldn't last through the whole summer, that we'd be done before we even had a chance to begin. But now... Now school was starting again. We'd be separated, and who knew what would happen? I didn't want to split up; I liked Bill far too much for that to happen, but how did he feel?

We entered his room and, just like always, he shut the door, warding it behind him. I went to perch at my usual spot on the bed, as he sat on the chair across from me. He took a deep breath, avoiding my eyes, before he spoke. "So... What now?"

"You ask that like I have any clue."

"Well, I don't know either. I've never been in this sort of situation before."

I rolled my eyes. "Glad to know I'm your first jailbait."

He blinked, finally looking me in the eyes. "What?"

"Never mind."

He sighed, reaching forward to take my hand. "Let's look at this logically. You're going back to school. I'm staying here. The distance would generally be a problem, except that we're magical... So in theory we could still see each other."

"I could always sneak out of Hogwarts," I mused. "We could meet in Hogsmeade."

"Precisely." He took another deep breath. "The question is, do you want to? Is this what you want? Am _I_ what you want?"

My brow furrowed. What was he trying to say? Why would I be with him if I didn't like him? "Why wouldn't you be?"

To my surprise, relief flooded his features. "I don't know, I just thought... Never mind."

I raised an eyebrow. "You thought I'd just drop you once the school year started?"

He shrugged. "Well... You and that last boy of yours didn't last very long."

I smiled softly, rubbing my thumb in circles over his palm. His eyes were so blue... "That was just a fling," I said softly. "This is so much more-" I cut myself off, my cheeks growing red. Crap. Had I said too much? I didn't want to scare him away; I didn't want him to think I was in love or anything...

But maybe I was. Maybe I really did love him. After all, I'd never been in love before; how was I to know what it felt like? Maybe he really was my love. All I was sure about was that I didn't want to ever leave his side.

He drew his hand up to my face. "I know," he said. "I know how you feel. This is... This is right. This isn't some random relationship. This is solid. This is good. And I don't want it to end."

"Me neither."

He tilted his head to the side. "Then it won't."

And he kissed me again, pushing me back onto the bed so we could be together for one last night before I left for Hogwarts.

* * *

The next morning, Mrs. Weasley and Mad-Eye Moody escorted us to King's Cross Station, a train station from which we'd be arriving at Hogwarts. We were supposed to go to Platform 9 3/4... but the instructions on how to do so were slightly odd.

"Just run at the barrier," Ron said.

I blinked. "You have got to be kidding me," I said, looking after Fred and George. Suddenly, they vanished.

"It's best to push your trolley in front of you. It will give you more confidence," Harry advised with a grin before he and Ron set off, with Sirius trailing behind them in his dog form. After a moment, they too disappeared.

"Come on," Hermione said quickly. "I'll go with you." She began pushing her trolley after them.

Not wanting to be left behind, I followed, a slight panic starting to set in my stomach. "You know, I've always been a little clumsy. Is there any other way to-"

"Nope," Hermione interrupted, picking up speed. I had to jog to keep up. "So how was it saying good-bye to Bill?"

Boy wasn't _that _a pointed question. "Fine," I said. I wasn't lying. He'd had to leave early in the morning, but I'd woken up just in time for him to kiss me good-bye, saying that he would be in touch. It was a little unnerving to think that I could potentially be away from my boyfriend for months on end, but I didn't really have a choice. I had to get this Ultimate Power crap under control, and that meant going to Hogwarts. "A little hard."

"I'm sure it was," Hermione panted.

Hearing the tremor in her voice, I focused my mind on where we were long enough to see the giant brink wall in front of us. With no time left to turn, I shut my eyes, bracing myself for an impact... That never came.

We'd made it.

* * *

"So this is the Hogwarts Express," I said as I followed Harry and Ginny towards the back of the train.

"You'd better get comfortable because we'll be here all day," Ginny said, flashing me a grin. "Hey Neville."

"Hi Harry. Avery. Ginny." The blond boy shrugged, looking around him. "There are no more seats-"

"This compartment's empty."

"No it's not," Harry said. "There's a girl-"

"Oh, it's just Loony Lovegood," Ginny said with a wave of her hand as she opened the door to the compartment. "It's fine."

I grabbed Harry's arm as the redhead squeezed inside. "Do we really want to share a compartment with someone named Loony?" I muttered.

"Hello, Luna. Do you mind if we sit here? Everywhere else is full."

The blond girl inside looked up, her blues eyes taking a moment to focus on us, as if she were up in the clouds. She wore a bottle cap necklace and was reading a magazine upside down. I unconsciously inched away from her. "Oh course you can."

"Thanks," Ginny said, grabbing one side of her trunk as Harry quickly grabbed the other, hoisting it up into the luggage rack. The same process was repeated with my trunk, Harry's, and then Neville's. Finally, we collapsed in our seats, staring awkwardly across at the blond girl.

"You're Harry Potter," she said suddenly, her eyes resting on Harry.

"Yes," Harry said, his eyes narrowing as he wondered about this weird girl.

"And you're Avery. The transfer student from America."

Ah, so she has a penchant for stating the obvious...

"Well aren't I relieved that you know who I am," I muttered.

Strangely, the girl seemed to not take any offense to my sarcasm. In fact, it appeared as if she didn't notice it at all. Instead, she turned toward Neville. "And you are?"

"He's Neville," Ginny said, nodding towards the boy in question. "Everyone this is Luna Lovegood. She's in Ravenclaw. My year."

"That's nice," I said, giving her a polite smile as I pulled on Ginny's arm, whispering in her ear. "Is she sane?"

"We think so," she muttered back.

I could hear the compartment door open and a girl's voice call through for Harry. Since the boys were distracted, I decided to question Ginny. "So? When do I get to meet your new boy?"

A faint blush rose on Ginny's cheeks as she muttered, "Shut up!"

"That doesn't answer my question," I taunted as the compartment door slid closed again, our visiter leaving.

"Later," she whispered vaguely, before the boys tuned back into the conversation.

* * *

Hermione and Ron showed up eventually, back from their prefects meeting. Upon their arrival, they had collapsed into their seats, regaling us all with tales about who the new prefects were. Much to my displeasure, a certain bouncing ferret was chosen...

"There's no way we're going to be able do _anything_ anymore," I pointed out. "Malfoy will be tailing us twenty-four seven, trying to nab us for the dumbest of things."

"Oh, of course Malfoy is going to abuse the power," Ron agreed. "So we'll just have to make sure we get him back."

"Ron!"

"What?"

"Don't sink to his level!"

"Why not?"

"Because-" Hermione began as the compartment door slid open once more. She stopped suddenly, staring at the door with a slight glare on her face. I turned my head, looking to find the pale Slytherin prat himself.

Swell.

"What do you want?" Harry snapped. I blinked. When dealing with Malfoy, Harry was generally surly, rude, and cocky. But now? Now his temper was clearly rising. If he wasn't careful, he'd get into serious trouble...

"Don't force me to give you a detention, Potter," Malfoy taunted, a small smile on his face.

"Then perhaps you should leave," Harry sneered.

"Jealousy does not become you, Potter," Malfoy smirked. "Just because Weasley made prefect instead of you-"

"Beat it, Malfoy," I interrupted.

"Well I'd watch out if I were you, Potter. Because I'll be- what's the term you _Americans _use," he asked giving me a mocking glance. "Ah, yes. I'll be _dogging_ you."

As he left, Harry, Hermione, and I exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing: he had recognized Sirius.

* * *

We climbed off the train, looking around as we did so. "So... What now?" I asked.

"We get a carriage," Ginny answered, pulling us towards the surreys that were being pulled by-

"Son of a bitch!" I shrieked, jumping away.

"What?" Hermione exclaimed, reaching for her wand.

"What the hell _are _these things?" They were huge, almost like reptilian horses, as if Hagrid was experimenting with breeding once more. There was no flesh on the bodies, and big, leathery wings that were attached to the skeletons of the creatures.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "They're carriages."

I gave him a look of mock surprise. "Really? I had no idea. Thank you for informing me- Not the carriages, you idiot! The things _pulling_ the carriages!"

Ron gave me a strange look, exchanging quick glances with Hermione. "Avery... Nothing's there." I blinked. What? But there had to be... Was I going insane?

Evidently not. Harry came to my rescue. "Very funny, Ron. What do you think they are, though?"

"Harry..." Hermione trailed off, her eyes growing wider. "You see them, too? Are you two all right? Did you drink some bad pumpkin juice, or something?"

"You don't see anything?" I asked. They both shook their heads. I turned to Harry, shrugging. "Well at least you'll be my partner in the loony bin."

He let out a laugh, seemingly relieved that he wasn't alone on this one. Suddenly, a voice from behind us spoke. "Don't worry. You're not mad. I can see them too." We turned, coming face to face with the dreamy gaze of Luna Lovegood. "You're just as sane as I am."

I blinked after her as she climbed into a carriage. "Is that supposed to make me feel _better_?"

* * *

The Great Hall was full when we arrived, and we had to push through a few of the younger students to get to our table. The Three Musketeers were preoccupied looking for Hagrid, who was surprisingly not at the staff table, so I was the one that had to steer us to our seats.

"Who's that?" Hermione said suddenly, pointing towards a short, toad-like woman that sat near the middle of the staff table besides a surly looking Severus Snape. She was smiling sweetly, but there was something in that sugary smile... It looked fake. Almost like it wasn't real sugar, but a Sweet-and-Low kind of sugary smile.

I had a bad feeling about that woman...

"Umbridge," Harry muttered in shock.

"You know her?" I asked with a raised brow.

"She works for Fudge," he said, giving Hermione a pointed look.

"But she must be the new Defense teacher, so what..." her eyes widened, coming to a conclusion that the rest of us were too stupid to have picked up on yet as we sat.

The hall quieted down as Professor McGonagall brought out the Sorting Hat, which sang a song before it began to sort first years. The ceremony seemed to take forever, but I cheered along with the rest of my peers, anyway. Finally, we were given the go-ahead to eat.

The food was magnificent; I'd forgotten how wonderful in was to eat at Hogwarts. And it was great to see so many of the Gryffindors again. Colin Creevy, Dean Thomas, Lee Jordan... It was like one big party, and I almost didn't want it to end.

But end it did, as Dumbledore stood up to make his big speech. "Welcome back! And to all of our new students, welcome!" Applause broke out as he smiled at us. "Thank you. Now, there have been two changes in our teaching staff. Professor Grubby-Plank will be taking over for Care of Magical Creatures, and Professor Umbridge will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

A slight round of applause broke out once more, and I rolled my eyes. This would go a lot faster if we didn't stop to clap every two seconds. "Try-outs for Quidditch teams will be-"

"_Hem hem_."

Dumbledore broke off giving a quick glance to the Toad Woman, who was now standing as if she wanted to make a speech. After a moment's hesitation, Dumbledore sat down, appearing surprised by the sudden turn in events.

"Thank you, Headmaster," she said sweetly, her voice high-pitched and obnoxiously girly. "I'm looking forward to get to know you all," she said, giving us that Sweet-and-Low smile again. "I'm sure we'll all be very good friends."

Ha. _Not _likely.

She cleared her throat once more. "The Ministry of Magic considers the education of young witches and wizards to be extremely important..."

And then I zoned out. Hey, it was the first day back, and this was the _dullest_ speech I had ever heard. Why did she have to torture us this way? Why couldn't she just take her amphibian-like features and her ugly-ass cardigan and sit down? Or at the very least, liven up the speech so that I didn't feel like falling asleep?

Dumbledore's clapping brought me out of my stupor, and I looked around the room to see that only a few others were applauding this woman as well. "Thank you, Professor Umbridge," Dumbledore said, standing again. "That was... Informative."

"No kidding," Hermione muttered.

I scoffed. "You actually listened?"

"Didn't you?" I gave her a look and she sighed. "Right, stupid question."

"Well?" Harry asked, leaning forward. "What does it mean?"

"It means that the Ministry of Magic is interfering at Hogwarts."

Oh. Great.

Well, I guess the school year had officially begun.

* * *

Ta-da! Here's the next chapter. Now that summer's here, the updates are coming much faster, so expect another chapter this weekend. In addition to that, I wanted to let you all know that I have a new oneshot out. It's called A Serpentine Style, and it's about Snape. It's _really_ short, and it's one of my favorites, so please, read it and drop me a review!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: GumiBearOnAShortBus, brilliantblonde, Writingfiend, SoUsay234, and julieakaweirdo. I really appreciate it!

So please make my day and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	7. The First Week

I woke up rather late the next morning, not yet used to the change in venue. Hermione was already dressed and on her way to meet the boys downstairs by the time I got up. This, of course, made me particularly late, and therefore forced me to rush in order to get to breakfast on time.

I don't think I've ever done my make-up in four minutes before. It's a new record.

After being forced to practically _sprint_ down to the Great Hall (almost getting lost once), I managed to make it in time for breakfast; Professor McGonagall handed me my schedule as I entered the room.

Whew.

Ron was groaning as I sat down. "This is a bloody nightmare."

"What is?" I asked as Harry passed me the coffee pot. The two of us were still the only people who chose coffee over tea in the morning- Actually... I glanced up at the staff table, looking towards Snape as I remembered an encounter we'd had at Grimmauld Place, and saw that there was a small coffee pot in front of him too.

I sighed. Why did my least favorite teacher have to share my favorite drink?

"Have you _seen_ the schedule yet? We have Binns, Snape, Trelawney, and that Umbridge toad today."

I rolled my eyes. "That's not so bad."

"Are you mental?" Ron asked, gaping at me.

"Think about it: We can sleep in History of Magic. Snape's class... well, it's easy for me. Divination is a class that teaches you how to lie and bullshit your way to the top, and we've always enjoyed Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Hermione tilted her head to the side in consideration. "Decent point."

Harry shook his head. "The classes may be fine - except for Snape's - but what about the teachers? They are all so horribly dull and evil-"

"And they're only going to get worse," a voice over my shoulder said. I turned to see Fred and George sitting down on my right.

Hermione frowned. "How so?"

"Well it's your fifth year, isn't it?"

"So?" Ron asked.

"So you'll be taking your O.W.L.s this year," George explained. "That means more snark, more cruelty, and _much_ more homework from all of your teachers."

"Prepare to have a mental break-down," Fred advised.

"If you care about your results, your fifth year is going to be hell."

I raised an eyebrow. "_If _we care about our results? So obviously you didn't."

"Too right you are," George said with a grin. "Academic accolades mean nothing in the field we'd like to be in."

"We weren't even going to come back, actually," Fred said with a shrug. "We wanted to just start our joke shop, but we figured Mum would go mad if we didn't finish our final year."

"That's all very nice, but how will you be able to afford it?" Hermione asked, skeptical as always.

The twins exchanged quick glances before Fred spoke up quickly. "Alas, Hermione. It seems we should be going. We'll have to save your questions for another time." And with that, they turned on their heel, hurrying away from the table.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Hermione asked. "Do they already have gold?"

"More importantly," Harry interrupted, his face slightly red, as if he was hiding something... "Is fifth year really as tough as they claim?"

"I'm sure it is. Percy would go on and on..." Ron rolled his eyes. "Then again, he'd do that about every year."

"Bill said something about career advice," I piped up. "We're supposed to decide what classes we want to take next year based on what we want to do with our lives."

"Oh, great," Harry groaned. "I have _no_ idea."

"I was thinking maybe an Auror," Ron confessed. "Though I don't know if my grades are good enough..."

"Well I think I'd like to make a difference," Hermione said, standing up so we could begin making our way to History of Magic. "Maybe I'll find some way to advance SPEW..."

Harry turned to me quickly, using me as an excuse so he didn't have to hear another rant about elf rights. "What about you? Any ideas?"

I blinked. Did I have any ideas as to what I wanted to do for the rest of my life? Were they kidding? I was _sixteen_! How the _hell_ would I know? "Honestly, my goal right now is to learn how to stop losing control of my magic and doing stupid crap like setting things on fire. Any career decisions can wait until then."

* * *

The dungeons were cold and slightly damp. A light _dripping_ sound came from somewhere further down the hall, and my classmates shivered and muttered together in fear of what Snape would make them do.

The door creaked open and we began to file into the room, the temperature not changing from the frigid conditions of the hallway. While on the one hand, I was happy to be in a class in which I actually understood the subject, the thought of spending the next two hours with Snape and the Slytherins was slightly intimidating.

"Sit," Snape said, his gaze so cold that it wouldn't have surprised me to find ice in his eyes. "As I'm sure even the most moronic of you know by now, you will be taking your O.W.L.s in June. If you wish to advance further in this course..." his gaze lingered on Malfoy... and then to my surprise, switched to me. "You will need to receive an 'outstanding,' as I will accept nothing less."

He paused in his speech, his eyes falling on Neville. "For the rest of you, I expect you to be able to put aside your incompetence for a day in order to manage an 'acceptable.' Anything lower and you'll be wishing you had tried harder to be mediocre instead of failing dismally," he said, his gaze resting on a defiant Harry.

"Until the time at which most of you will be thankfully leaving us, I am forced to attempt to teach you the art of potions. And so today, we shall be working on the Draught of Peace, a potion that frequently comes up in the O.W.L. examinations. Be warned: given the average level of work many of you put out, most of your versions of this potion would probably kill the drinker, as it takes severe concentration and the upmost precision. So pay attention to the instructions. You have an hour and a half. Begin."

And just like that, I was lost in my own world. Brewing brought a sense of calm to me. I was able to focus on the instructions, and the instructions alone. It felt like I was in a muggle cooking class, learning how to make a chocolate cake.

And thus, I felt normal.

While I'd never been too fond of cooking before going to Hogwarts, I'd always been able to follow a recipe. Now, however, I clung to the simplicity of making potions, and how it connected me with my muggle roots. Potions class was something easy for me. I knew that even though I could be drowning in Charms, or Defense Against the Dark Arts, I would be able to go back to the dorm and brew, losing myself in something so effortless to me.

I didn't return to the land of the living until after class ended, bottling my potion as Snape called my name. "Miss Nouvelli. A word, if you will."

If you will. Ha! As if I had any choice.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, approaching Snape as Harry, Hermione, and Ron hurried from the classroom, desperate to escape the Evil Potions Master. "What's up?"

A sneer appeared on his face at my colloquialism. "I trust that you got my owl about your... review sessions."

I nodded. "Of course."

"Then I shall see you here tonight at eight o'clock, sharp."

I blinked. "You're going to start these things on the _first day_!"

He turned his back to me, striding over to his desk. "Why wait? That will be all, Miss Nouvelli." He sat down and pulled out a quill, clearly done with me.

Ass.

* * *

Divination. What could possibly be said about the subject except that it's a big joke? Trelawney was her usual fake self, predicting Harry to die today, tomorrow, and the day after that. Any normal person would think one death would be enough, but apparently he was so doomed that he'd die multiple times.

The poor guy.

However, as much as I hated to admit it, I _was _slightly intrigued about what we would be learning this year... "You will be keeping dream journals about what dreams you've had, and you will interpret them based on the knowledge you will have garnered in this course," she said in her overly dreamy voice.

"What a load of garbage," Ron muttered, turning to Harry.

"Actually, this might be fairly important." I paused. "Not the whole interpret-your-dreams-based-on-knowledge-from-this-class part. Just the general concept."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "And how is that?"

"Well it's all based on understanding the dreams in how they best fit your life. Your dreams are, after all, your subconscious. For example, say you die in a dream. This old bat," I nodded towards Trelawney. "Would say that meant you were going to die in real life. However, it could very well mean many things. Maybe you're thinking about ending a relationship, maybe you're "dying" in a class that's too hard for you, maybe you want to experience a life-altering change. But how you interpret the dream can help to make your thought process clearer, and thus it can make your future clearer."

Both boys were staring at me with wide eyes. "How do you know this?"

I shrugged. "Experience. You can't be clairvoyant without dabbling around in other aspects of fortune telling. That's how I know the palm reading stuff is a load of crap."

"Then that means you'll actually pass this year," Harry said with a small smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Funny, but no. She'll fail me anyway out of spite."

"She might not-"

"No, I mean she really will. Trust me. I know. It _will _happen. In the future."

* * *

There was a feeling of apprehension in the hall as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I walked into Umbridge's classroom that afternoon. None of us were entirely sure what to expect from her. Harry already said she was a horrible person from when he'd met her at the hearing, and I wasn't getting a great feeling from her...

And if I'd learned anything from the debacle with 'Mad-Eye Moody,' it was that I should always trust my feelings.

Umbridge was already at her desk, that sickly sweet smile on her face, as we entered, taking our seats quietly. The room was silent as the last few stragglers came into the room, nobody daring to test out the waters and speak in her class.

Finally, she stood, though in actuality, it really made no difference; she was a _short_ woman. "Good afternoon," she said in that high-pitched voice of hers. Silence met her ears, and she shook her head with that poisonous smile still on her face. "Well that won't do. It's polite to respond, you know. So let's try this again, shall we? Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Professor," the class muttered in a low, monotone way.

Umbridge, however didn't appear to notice our lack of enthusiasm. "There you go. Now, wands away, please."

Ah, great. A lecture.

"Now then. It would appear that due to the string of teachers you've encountered over the past four years, your magical education in Defense Against the Dark Arts has been rather fragmented, and you are most certainly behind. Not to worry, though. The Ministry will see to it that you get back on track."

She pointed towards the blackboard where three course aims were listened. "You will, by the end of this course, by able to understand the basic principles of defensive magic, be able to recognize the best time to use defensive magic, and transpose the concept into a practical use."

Some of the Ravenclaws in the room and Hermione were hurriedly copying all of this down, but I didn't bother. It wasn't like we'd be quizzed on the course aims. "Has everyone got a textbook?" Many people nodded their heads, the general consensus being that if someone _didn't_ have a book, they would speak up. Umbridge, however, wasn't pleased. "Remember, it's polite to respond. Let's try this again. Has everyone got a textbook?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Excellent. Now, please turn to page five and read the first chapter. There will be no need to talk."

Students began to rifle through their bags as they pulled out their books, opening it to the intended page. I, however, just sat there, staring at her. Was she _kidding_? We were going to _read_ for the rest of the class? Couldn't we have done that on our own time?

I sighed, reaching for my book when I noticed that directly to my left, Hermione had also not opened the text. Only unlike me, she had her hand in the air and was trying to get Umbridge's attention.

I decided the reading could wait. This would be _much _more interesting.

Umbridge chose to ignore her, despite the fact that Hermione was waving her hand franticly in the air, as if she were at an MC Hammer concert. Students began to look up, watching her instead of reading the dull, insipid text.

It was only then that Umbridge stood with a sigh, approaching Hermione. "Is there something in the text you don't understand, dear?"

"Actually, there's something in the course aims that I don't understand," Hermione said, glancing back at the blackboard as if she were afraid they might suddenly vanish.

Umbridge blinked. "You are-"

"Hermione Granger, Professor."

"I believe the course aims are quite clear, Miss Granger."

"Perhaps. Except they say nothing about _using_ defensive spells."

Ravenclaws skimmed their notes, looking for proof of this injustice as those as lazy as me gazed at the blackboard. Umbridge looked appalled. "Why would you think you'd ever need to use defensive spells?"

"Uh, maybe because that's the purpose of this class," I pointed out dryly. "You know, to teach us how to _defend _ourselves against the dark arts with _defensive_ magic."

"Please raise your hand, Miss-"

"Nouvelli."

A brief look of disgust crossed her face before she was able to control her features, glancing back at me. "Oh. The American." Bitch. She turned back to Hermione, whose hand was once again in the air. "Yes?"

"But surely we should be practicing defensive spells?"

"It's not really your place to decide, now is it?" Umbridge said, that Sweet and Low smile back on her face again. "Our job as Ministry officials is to make your learning experience risk-free-"

"Well that's hardly realistic," Harry snorted as I threw up my hand. "If we're going to be attacked it won't-"

"You didn't raise your hand," Umbridge said, turning towards me again. "Yes?"

I smiled back at her, matching that overtly sweet expression of hers. "Tell me, Professor. Have _you_ ever been attacked risk-free? What was it like? Because I'm _so_ curious to know how such a paradox would play out."

Her teeth were gritted when she answered. "You won't be attacked during my class, therefore you have no need to learn the spells-"

"But this is a magic class!" I said, throwing my hands up. "What's the point if we won't be doing magic?" I could hear others murmur in agreement.

"Just because some of my predecessors had unorthodox, and even terrifying teaching methods that can only be expected from half-breeds-"

"You don't mean Professor Lupin, do you, because-"

"Your hand is not up, Mr. Potter." She blinked, taking a breath before speaking again. "You have been deluded into believing that you face mortal peril every day. Because of this delusion, you believe the immediate practice of defensive spells to be important-"

"So we aren't allowed to practice until we're actually _in danger?_ That seems a bit risky, don't you think?" I scoffed.

"It is the belief of the Ministry that theoretical knowledge will suffice. As long as you understand the theory, you will be able to execute the spells."

"Yeah, well it's not their own lives they're gambling with!" I snapped.

"_Hand_, Miss Nouvelli!" She turned, brushing her hair out of her face before speaking to Parvati. "And you are?"

"Parvati Patil. So we aren't going to get to practice the spells before we take our O.W.L.s?"

I glanced over at Hermione to see horror and a cunning anger battling for control of her features. A part of her was devastated at the thought of failing, but another part was scheming, trying to get into the toad's head...

"The theory will suffice, as long as you study it well enough-"

Harry interrupted, a scowl on his face. "Yeah, theory is going to be _really _helpful for what's waiting for us outside these walls."

Umbridge's lip curled as she faced Harry. "There's nothing waiting for you outside these walls."

"I beg to differ."

"What dangers could possibly exist outside of Hogwarts?" Umbridge asked.

I snorted. "I'll give you three guesses."

But to my surprise, she ignored me, instead staying locked in a staring war with Harry. _Crap,_ I thought. This battle she was engaging us in, it wasn't about defensive magic or her course aims. It was about defeating Harry and asserting her dominance over him.

And with his temper... He was screwed.

"Oh, wow. Uh, I don't know. The name just," he threw his hands up in a mock hopeless manner. "Slipped my mind. Oh, wait. Perhaps _Lord Voldemort._"

I shook my head as the class around me gasped. "Harry, you've been hanging around me too much," I whispered.

Umbridge didn't look fazed, though. "Ten points from Gryffindor." She stepped away from our table, turning to address the entire class. "Now everyone listen. It has been reported that a certain Dark wizard has somehow miraculously rose from the dead-"

"I wouldn't call it miraculous," I muttered.

"And he wasn't really dead, but-"

Umbridge interrupted Harry, speaking over him. "HOWEVER, there has been no evidence to sustain those claims. These reports are _false_."

"They are not!" Harry shouted, banging his fist on the table.

"Detention! Tonight!" Umbridge said, a triumphant glint in her eyes. Besides me, Hermione groaned. "These claims are simply not true, and it is therefore best that you do not dwell on them." She turned, walking towards the front of the room. "Now, if you will all continue your reading-"

But Harry had stood up, his eyes flashing with anger. "So then what? Poor Cedric Diggory, the fit, seventeen year old Quidditch player, just had a heart attack, did he? The poor bloke was in the best shape of life, but hey, his heart gave out anyway! Is that it?"

Umbridge turned, and I was alarmed to notice that there was no trace of her usual sweet smile. "It was an accident."

"Oh, of course," Harry said. "Because in court, they now view first-degree murder as an accident." He paused, for what I thought was dramatic effect. "Voldemort killed him."

Umbridge didn't move, her eyes blank, her hands clenched to her sides. She appeared to be contemplating her choices, as if she was wondering what the best course of action would be. I personally thought she'd choose to hex him into next year.

Nevertheless, no one was surprised when she called him up to her desk, ordering him to go and see Professor McGonagall.

* * *

"Good evening, Miss Nouvelli," Snape said as I stepped into the dungeons later that night.

I was pretty happy with his response. The fact that he was actually bothering to greet me was astounding, and meant that he didn't hate me that much this year.

Yet.

"Hey, Professor. What are we doing today?"

Snape scoffed, stepping forward as he spoke. "You expect me to remember your progress? Surely you don't think your petty concerns are all I have to worry about?"

I rolled my eyes at his comment, but began going through all of my classes. "Well, I'm caught up in Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. I'm ahead in Potions," I said, flashing him a grin. He nodded at me, almost as if he approved of my skills. "I think I have transfiguration down. My ability to recall stuff from History of Magic needs a little work, but that could be said about everyone else, too. My charms suck. Divination is a lost cause." I rolled my eyes again. "And so is, apparently, Defense Against the Dark Arts."

He raised an eyebrow. "Someone doesn't like the new teacher."

"Do you know what she did?"

"No. And I don't particularly care," he drawled.

But I ignored him. "She decided that defensive magic was, apparently, overrated, because we aren't going to be doing it in that class."

He blinked, slightly surprised by my admission. "That's an interesting teaching technique."

"It's a nonexistent teaching technique!"

"Well, then. Perhaps after we review the basics," he sneered. "Of charms, we shall go over defensive magic before we move on to your... more unique talents."

I was a little surprised by this. Was he actually being nice? "You do realize that means spending more time with me, right?"

"You do realize that if you can't defend yourself and succumb to a dark spell, our side will lose any advantage we might have over the Dark Lord?" he countered.

I tilted my head to the side. He had a point... "Works for me."

* * *

Classes continued, and I got the strangest sense of deja vu. It was like I was in high school again; each teacher seemed to believe their subject was the most important, and thus they piled on the homework.

Swell.

Charms was a nightmare. The entire lesson was a giant review session, but I knew next to nothing about the subject, and so I struggled to even wave my wand without poking someone's eye out.

Transfiguration was a little better, though not by much. It turned out to be a good thing that I was fairly caught up in that class, because McGonagall didn't even attempt to review before assigning us a new, more complex spell: the vanishing spell. Hermione managed to figure it out at one point, but me... I was hopeless. Every time I tried to vanish a snail, I would just turn it into a shadow. Hermione thought I was drawing too much on my own abilities and not enough on my magic itself.

Yeah, that's a great theory, but it doesn't help me to stop.

Care of Magical Creatures was a mellow experience without Hagrid there. Don't get me wrong, I love the half giant, but it was nice that nothing was trying to kill me for a change. Herbology was just as relaxing, as we spent the entire lesson taking notes.

Harry had his first of Umbridge's detentions that night, and I had my first rehearsal with Friction. I met Darcy, Anderson, and Tyler in the dance studio at our usual time to see Darcy with a pen in her hand and a scowl on her face.

"Finally. I thought you'd never show up," she hissed.

I raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, we met at five. Did this suddenly change?"

"Last I checked, we did all of our competition planning in August? Or did you forget," she snapped back at me. My eyes widened. Actually, I had forgotten... "Were you too busy traipsing around Europe with your little Morning Shots friends to remember?"

I tried not to wince at the lie Tyler and I had crafted. She and Anderson still believed Morning Shots to be an elite private school that I'd somehow managed to get into. When Bill and Remus had come to retrieve me earlier in the summer, we'd decided to tell her that some of my new friends had invited me to Europe.

"Come on, Darce. I'm here now. Let's just... Go on."

She rolled her eyes, leaning back against the mirror as she sighed. Her eyes locked on mine, and I was surprised to see fury in them. She was pissed. But... Why? Was she just annoyed? Feeling left out? Panicked that we'd left the planning of our competition pieces until September? "Right," she said, ignoring me for the time being. "As I was saying, we really need to wow the judges this year. It has to be gimmicky, but deep at the same time, and I think I have an idea..."

I glanced over at Ty, my eyes wide in inquiry. He just shook his head at me. My heart jumped up to my throat as the horrible realization hit: Darcy was mad at me, and she'd apparently been mad for awhile.

But I was living on the other side of the world. There was nothing I could do about it.

* * *

The week dragged on, and I faced another review session with Snape, as well as another awkwardly hellish rehearsal with Friction. By the week's end, I was unusually tired, as if the weight of the world rested on my shoulders.

Luckily for me, that job belonged to Harry.

At six o'clock on Friday, I snuck out of Hogwarts, using the secret passageway behind the witch statue Harry had showed me earlier in the day. I stayed a shadow as I travelled, using the cover of night to make it even harder to spot me as I skimmed along.

Finally, I stopped in an alley-way, shifting back into my normal self. I brushed at my black skirt, smoothing the fabric down before I headed out of the alley and into The Three Broomsticks.

It only took me a moment to spot Bill, his red hair sticking out in the dimly lit room. He smiled, waving me over. "I got you a butterbeer," he said as I sat down. He gave me a quick kiss on my lips before pulling back and grinning at me.

I made a face. "Firewhiskey is so much better."

But he just laughed. "No, it's so much stronger. How was your week?"

I rolled my eyes. "New subject, please."

"That bad?"

"The one bright spot is that Snape's no longer a monumental jackass towards me. Now, he's only a slight jackass," I drawled before taking a sip of my butterbeer.

"Things must be bad when Snape's the highlight of your week."

"No shit."

"Well I have something that might cheer you up," he said, reaching across the table for my hand.

I smiled softly. "Well then. Do tell."

"Well after you and everyone else left for school, the inhabitance level at Grimmauld Place sort of... died down. Mum and Dad went back to the Burrow, Remus took up a place in London to stay at full time, and... I moved out too."

I raised an eyebrow. "_Really_?"

He nodded. "I actually rented a flat here in Hogsmeade. I figured if no one would be at Grimmauld Place anymore, then there was no reason to stay."

"Poor Sirius."

"Perhaps." A small smirk began to form on his face as he spoke. "However, I think this might just be better for us, considering that I now live fifteen minutes from the school."

A smile bloomed on my face as I understood what he was insinuating. "Really, now?" I said, tapping my fingers on the table. Finally, I felt like things were going to be okay. After the week from hell in which I duked it out with Umbridge, learned that my best friend harbored extreme anger towards me, and failed miserably at vanishing a snail due to a power that was supposed to make my life _easier_, not harder, I was finally happy again. Things were going to be okay. "Well, what are you waiting for?" I asked with a mischievous grin. I gave his hand a tug. "Come on. I want to see this flat of yours."

* * *

Well there you go! Another chapter! Expect an update sometime this weekend. It will probably be a little shorter than this chapter because of the contents of the chapter, but it won't be too short, don't worry!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: GumiBearOnAShortBus, lovegoodlover, SoUsay234, xxbabyxox, xNadiiLiciiOus, arrowheadhunter, and julieakaweirdo. I really appreciate it!

So please make my day and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	8. The Whirl of Life

Saturday turned out to be the most relaxing day I'd had in awhile. It was nice to be able to sleep in, the pressures of school fading away for just one morning as I got to pretend that I was normal. It was what I needed.

I skipped breakfast, choosing instead to lounge about the common room as I waited for the Three Musketeers to return from the Great Hall. The light shone into the room from a window, casting an odd glint on the furniture. There seemed to be more of a sparkle to the room, and it was surprisingly pretty...

"Lost in thought?"

I jumped, startled, as Hermione sat down next to me, a small smile on her face. "Sort of. Where are the boys?"

"Quidditch practice. I don't know _how_ they plan on getting all of the homework done, given that they're saving it all for the last minute, but-"

"Okay, that's enough talking about homework," I said, angling my body so I could face her. "Have you heard from Viktor recently?"

She raised an eyebrow as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "What's school without boy drama? And since I'm in a fairly stable relationship... Well, you'll just have to do."

"Gee, thanks."

"No problem. So?"

She sighed, biting her bottom lip before she answered. "He wrote me at the beginning of the week, and I responded. But... I don't know. I feel as if he's beginning to lose interest with me."

I frowned. "I thought you didn't like him."

"I do! He's nice-"

"No, I mean _like_ him."

"Oh. Well, I don't, but it's vexing to learn that my intellectual charms aren't enough to sustain a lasting friendship." She ran her hand through her hair. "It's as if because he can't snog me, he doesn't want to talk with me."

I patted her hand. "Hermione, that's just how guys are. It's a known fact that they're idiots and don't use their brains until they become twenty-five or even thirty. It's pointless to stress about it."

"I suppose."

"Trust me. You're an awesome person," I said as the portrait hole swung open. "And," I said, seeing a familiar mop of messy black hair traveling towards us with a tall redhead. "I guarantee I'm not the one who thinks so." I called out to the boys. "How was practice?"

Harry hesitated. "Well-"

"Horrible," Ron interjected. "Bloody horrible, that's how it was."

Hermione smiled in sympathy. "I'm sure you'll do better next time-"

"Who said it was my ruddy fault?"

"Well-"

"Just because I'm new to the team, that doesn't mean I'm the weak link!"

"But-"

Harry and I exchanged glances, and I grimaced, a headache beginning to form as I listened to the two of them fight. With a sigh, I pulled out my potions essay, preparing myself for a _long_ afternoon of listening to Hermione and Ron argue..

* * *

"No! You're doing it wrong. The jeté isn't until after the _triple_ turn. You can't just do two turns and call it a day!" Darcy snapped at me, leaning in so her red face was even closer.

Friction rehearsal was just as tense as it had been earlier in the week, and I still wasn't exactly sure why. Obviously, all of Darcy's anger was directed towards me, but what exactly had I done to deserve it?

I blinked. "Last I checked, _you'd_ choreographed a double. So how am I wrong?"

Tyler sighed. "We changed it. Yesterday, when we met for coffee after school. We figured there was enough time so-"

"It doesn't matter," Darcy spat, her nostrils flaring slightly as she spoke. "We can't rehearse properly until everyone knowsthe _basics_ of the routine. We'll just have to reconvene tomorrow."

I scoffed, shock filling my core as I watched my once best friend stalk out of the room, Anderson following close behind her. I spun around, cornering Ty. "What the hell is her problem?"

"_Their_ problem," he corrected gently. "They're both pretty peeved at you, though Anderson isn't nearly as vocal about it."

I threw my hands in the air, anger overtaking me. "Well, what the hell did I do?"

"You absence from Darcy's social circle has been... noticeable," Ty said, choosing his words carefully.

"What does that mean?"

He sighed, holding his hands up in the universal don't-shoot-the-messenger pose. "She thinks you've become snobby, that you're spending all of your time with your Morning Shots friends and ditching us. She's pretty pissed that you aren't even hanging out with me, considering that we supposedly go to the same school." I opened my mouth to protest, but he continued on. "I tried to tell her that ever since we'd broken up, we haven't really been hanging out as much, but-"

"Once Darcy gets an idea in her head, she sticks with it," I muttered, rubbing at my eyes with my palms.

"You haven't been coming to any of our meetings, or luncheons, or anything. And... Well Darcy and Anderson are getting tired of it."

"Well it's not like I have much of a choice," I growled. "I go to school in freaking _England!_"

"I know! But... They don't. And this riff that's forming between us is going to make it _very _hard to win once competition season begins."

He had a point. If we couldn't work together, we'd never place in competition. We needed our unity and our ability to depend each other; it was what made us strong. But what Darcy was asking of me was impossible. I couldn't have lunch with her, or practice with her, or go shopping with her. I lived on a different continent, now.

I was stuck.

* * *

The surprise of the century occurred the next evening as Ron, Hermione, Harry, and I were sitting besides the fire in the common room near midnight. We were just talking, doing homework, and all of a sudden, Sirius Black's head popped out of the fire.

"Shit," I shrieked as I propelled myself away from the flames and toppled over a footstool.

Sirius laughed. "Sorry."

I rolled my eyes as Ron helped me to stand. "Give me a heart attack, why don't you?" I muttered.

"Sirius!" Harry whispered, ignoring me as he kneeled down beside the fire. "What are you _doing_ here?"

"Making sure you're all right. I was concerned after that letter."

Hermione's head snapped sharply towards Harry. "Letter? I thought you weren't going to write to him about your scar hurting?"

He shrugged. "I changed my mind." He turned back to Sirius, leaning closer. "It hurt when I was with Umbridge in detention. She touched me, and my scar..."

"It probably has nothing to do with her. Your scar hurt last year, didn't it?" Sirius asked.

Harry frowned. "Well, yeah. But it's kind of a weird coincidence, don't you think?"

"Maybe she's not evil. Well," I said, correctly myself. "Not in the way you're thinking, at least. Maybe your scar's just a warning mechanism. Maybe you're learning how to sense the character of people through your scar." Four blank faces stared back at me, so I shrugged. "It happens. Besides, if that's the case, then I can induct him into the Clairvoyant Club, and I won't be the only one."

"She's not a Death Eater," Sirius said, turning to Harry once more. "Her record is too clean for that."

"Maybe it was a coincidence, Harry," Ron said gently. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Harry sighed. "Maybe."

"Hey," Sirius said with a small grin. "I know something that will cheer you up. I'll come and visit you on the next Hogsmeade date. When is-"

"You can't!" Harry blurted out, his eyes growing wide.

Sirius' brow furrowed. "Why not?"

"We think Malfoy recognized you at the train station," Hermione explained.

"And what the moronic Draco knows," I elaborated. "The not-so-moronic Lucius knows. Which means the Death Eaters know. Which means Lord What's-His-Name knows. They could find you."

But Sirius waved the though away. "We can risk it."

"No, we can't," Harry protested. "We need to keep you safe-"

"I don't need protecting, Harry."

"I don't want to risk it, Sirius. I'm sorry."

He was silent for a moment, taking this information in before he sighed. "Fine, then. I guess I should just be going, considering that me talking to you right now is such a _risk_." And with a pop, he was gone.

I sat back on my heels as the four of us exchanged glances. "Well," I said at last, breaking the silence. "That didn't go very well, did it?"

* * *

"Again."

I rolled my eyes at Snape's surly request. It was the middle of the following week, and once again I was working with Snape to perfect my magic. "You act like this is simple," I muttered.

"Maybe I act like it's simple because it _is _simple," Snape drawled as he began to move towards me, slowly. "Not only is this a _simple_ charm, but it's one that even _Longbottom_ can do."

"Well don't I just feel pathetic," I said, my voice laden with sarcasm.

"You should."

"This is ridiculous! When am I ever going to need to know how to shoot bubbles out of my wand? Apart from me spontaneously transforming into Sailor Mercury, or suddenly running out of soap for my bubble bath, I will never use this!"

Snape ignored my muggle references, as he'd grown accustomed to doing, and said, "It is on the curriculum."

"Well, why? It's not like the spell is relevant to my life, or there's any practical use-"

"Baby steps, Miss Nouvelli. You have to know how to use the rudimentary spells before you delve into the more complex magic," Snape said, a small smirk crawling onto his face.

"Can't we learn easy charms that are useful? Like _Wingardium Leviosa. _There's a simple charm that could come in handy," I pointed out. "I could use it to levitate a book from my desk towards me, or keep a pair of black leather heels out of the reach of Lavender."

"Or to knock out a young mountain troll," Snape mused.

"What?"

"Never you mind." He leaned forward, placing his hands on the desk before me. "The curriculum is designed by the Ministry, and it is what you shall be tested on come spring. You would be wise to stick to the curriculum."

"You sound like Umbridge," I grumbled.

He blinked, slightly taken aback. "I suppose that's your idea of an insult?"

I smiled softly. "Well, it's about as insulting as I can be to a teacher without ending up in detention."

His mouth curled, a slight smile overtaking his features, though in the next instant, it had vanished. "So it would seem." He stepped back, slipping once more into the shadows of the classroom. "Again," he said, referring to the spell. "And Miss Nouvelli, if you don't learn how to do this tedious spell quickly, you _will_ be in detention."

* * *

"So? Anything new?"

I chuckled softly to myself, snuggling deeper against Bill's sturdy frame as the two of us lounged together naked in his bed. It was becoming our little ritual to meet every Friday night after I got back to the castle from dance rehearsal. "I can now shoot bubbles out of my wand."

"Impressive," he said with a slight laugh.

"And..." I hesitated a bit, not really sure if I should tell him...

"And what?"

"Ron heard from Percy." His body tensed beneath me, and I instantly regretted bringing it up. "He apparently thinks Harry's insane and that Ron should stop hanging out with him."

Silence met my statement for a moment before Bill sighed. "Understandable."

"Really?"

"Percy's so concerned about his job, the git. He doesn't want anything, or anyone, to jeopardize that." He sighed again, running his hand through my hair as he spoke. "Ah, well. What can we really do about it?"

I rolled over slightly, my face coming within inches of his own. "I'm sorry."

He kissed me lightly, his lips just fluttering against my own briefly before he pulled back. "No problem. But let's change the subject. There are a million other things that I'd rather do with you than discuss my brother, you know."

I smiled widely. "Really? Then why don't you show me?" I said, before closing the gap between our faces.

* * *

I know it's a little short, but this was the best place to end the chapter. The next one will be _much _longer, I promise! Please review, though and tell me what you think! Reviews inspire me to update faster!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: GumiBearOnAShortBus, sailor-tin-foil, lovegoodlover, hiphophottie, brilliantblonde, tree1138, arrowheadhunter, and julieakaweirdo. I really appreciate it!

So please make my day and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	9. Inspections and Defense

The most devastating news we could have possibly been given was in the Daily Prophet the next day. Dolores Umbridge, our cruel Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who had apparently been "such a success" (yeah, right), had been given another job.

And even more power.

Still, this wasn't completely clear to Harry and myself at the beginning. "Wait," I said, confusion coloring my voice. "What the hell is a High Inquisitor?"

As it turned out, this gave her the power to inspect classes, overrule teachers' disciplinary decisions, and make decrees that would "help get Hogwarts back on the right track."

Great.

Ron, however, was amused by this nightmare. He explained why as we began to walk towards Potions. "I hope we're in class when McGonagall gets inspected. Umbridge will be put in her place!"

I agreed. "Oh, what about Snape? He will _kill_ her if she even breaths in his direction. Oh, that will be bliss..."

Sadly, Umbridge was not in Snape's class. Though she was, as it turned out, inspecting Divination. I wasn't sure which teacher I wanted to succeed in this face-off. Even though Trelawney was an old fraud, she was still a nicer human being than Umbridge. Still, it would be preferable to have a teacher who actually knew what they were doing in Divination...

We took our seats, an electric charge running through the room as we waited eagerly for the class to begin. What was about to go down? Which teacher would be victorious?

"Sybill Trelawney, is it?" Umbridge asked in her high voice. "I believe you received my notice informing you of the date and time of my inspection?"

Trelawney hesitated, before smiling slight at the old toad. "Of course I did, Professor. I foresaw the event."

Good grief, she wasn't really going to go that route, was she?

Umbridge just made a note on her clipboard before giving the fraud an icy look. "Obviously you foresaw this. It was announced in the morning paper," she remarked as she moved towards the corner, perching on a little stool.

Trelawney's mouth dropped open, and she slowly turned back towards the class. I felt a little sympathetic toward her, then. Sure, she was a horrible teacher, but she had seniority. She should be treated with respect, not disdain.

"Divide up, please, and interrupt your partner's dreams with the aid of your textbooks," she said softly, almost as if she was still in shock.

Harry, Ron, and I turned to each other. "Well," I said at last. "That was kind of harsh."

Ron snorted. "No kidding. Don't get me wrong. I hate Trelawney as much as the next kid... But bloody hell! I think I might actually feel sorry for the old bat!"

"Umbridge is getting up!" Harry muttered quickly, facing us once more. "Someone think of a dream!"

"Well I did it last time," Ron said, looking back and forth between us. "So one of you-"

"Fine!" Harry said, almost desperately as Umbridge began to make her way in our direction. My eyes began to glaze over... "How about I was drowning..."

_"Which door did we come out of? All of the X's are gone!"_

_I snapped my head, following the direction of the sound. The dark stone corridor I was in wound endlessly around and around... I didn't know where I was. But the voice... It sounded familiar. Whose was it? I moved forward, trying to find-_

_"Don't panic; I'm sure we can figure this out-" Fear laced this new voice._

_"They're coming, the Death Eaters are coming!"_

_"Run!"_

I came out of it with a start, gasping for breath as I looked around me. Something bad was going to happen, something _really _bad. Because that last voice, the final one I'd heard, had been mine. Death Eaters would apparently be advancing towards me. And I would need to run.

Swell.

However, no eyes were on me as this epiphany hit me. No, the entire class was watching Umbridge as she interrogated Trelawney. "But you are the first person in your family to possess the second sight since your great great-grandmother?"

"Oh, well, yes," Trelawney admitted, looking rather worried. "But these things often skip... multiple generations."

"I see," Umbridge said, making a mark on her clipboard. A chill swept over me as the toad smiled, a bad feeling rising in my gut... "Now I need you to predict something for me."

She blanched. "I beg your pardon?"

"Make a prediction," Umbridge said slowly. I couldn't believe what she was doing. She knew we were all watching. She knew she was putting Trelawney on the spot. But she chose to torture her anyway. It wasn't right. "Go on. Predict the future."

Suddenly, as if I were seized by some spirit, my hand shot into the air. And before I knew it, I was speaking. "Professor Trelawney, I need some help interpreting my dream. Can you assist me?"

Ron's mouth dropped. "Are you mad?" he hissed.

But even though my initial actions had surprised me, I understood why I'd been seized with the sudden impulse to help her. Everyone knew Trelawney was a fraud (except for perhaps Lavender and Parvati), but despite how much I hated her, I still felt loyal to her. I would rather team up with Trelawney then see Umbridge win.

And so I tried to help her, to let her off the hook and to give her enough time to think up a response. But to my surprise, she just shook her head at me. "One moment, Miss Nouvelli." My eyes widened in shock. Was she seriously ignoring the out I'd just given her? Apparently so. She turned back to Umbridge. "You cannot force the Inner Eye to see into the future. It's not how this works."

I hit my face with the palm of my hand. I couldn't believe she'd just said that.

Umbridge smiled sweetly, a look of triumph overtaking her features. "I see. Well in that case, you'll be getting the _results_ back shortly-"

It was then that Trelawney seemed to realize she was in trouble. "Wait!" She shrieked, trying to stop a retreating Umbridge. "I do see something after all! Yes... it appears..." She shut her eyes, as if she were concentrating really hard. "It appears that you're in danger!"

I rolled my eyes. Why was it that death and danger were always her fallbacks?

Umbridge's tight smile stayed frozen in place on her face as she scribbled something onto her clipboard. "Well, as I said, you shall receive your _results_ soon."

Harry and I glanced at each other, the weight of her words reaching us. Umbridge wanted Trelawney sacked. And I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that she wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted.

* * *

We didn't have another inspection for a few days. However, as we marched into Transfiguration sometime mid-week, there was Umbridge, sitting in the corner with that stupid clipboard, smiling that ridiculous Sweet and Low smile at us.

McGonagall stepped to the front of the room, and immediately began addressing us. "We will be working with the mice again today, so Miss Brown, if you could pass one to each student-"

"_Hem, hem."_ As one, the class turned towards Umbridge, wondering why she was interrupting. But to our surprise, and utter delight, McGonagall was ignoring her.

"Right," she said as Lavender walked down the aisle, thrusting a box of mice in my direction as I gingerly grabbed one by the tail. "So, it is much more complex to vanish a mouse than it is a snail, as they are bigger and more physically complex-"

"_Hem, hem_."

McGonagall's jaw clenched as she turned sharply to face Umbridge. "Yes?" she said through her teeth.

"Professor, did you receive my notice stating the date and time of your-"

"Obviously," McGonagall drawled, sounding remarkably like Snape. "Otherwise, I would have inquired as to your presence here." Ron let out a snort of laughter besides me, which he tried desperately to turn into a cough. I grinned, glad to know that not all of the teachers enjoyed Umbridge's ludicrous rules. "Now then, the Vanishing Spell-"

"_Hem, hem_."

"Really now," McGonagall said, her eyebrows furrowed in anger as she rounded once more on Umbridge. "What do you need to say this time? Because I'd really like to get on with my lesson." Umbridge's mouth dropped open, her face frozen in shock as she stared at my head of house.

This time, Ron wasn't the only student to hide laughter.

* * *

"She's a bloody old hag!"

"Ron!"

"Well, it's true," Ron said as he paced the common room. "I mean, poor Harry, having his hand sliced open every evening-"

"That _is_ bordering on abuse," I mused. The three of us sat in the common room alone, waiting for Harry to return from his lengthy detention with Umbridge. None of us were pleased with her methods. "At the very least, shouldn't the message she's carving into his skin be _I must not talk out of term_? Because that's what he keeps getting in trouble for."

"It doesn't matter!" Hermione protested. "It's horrible, and wrong, and probably illegal, now that I think about it."

"So report her."

"No." We turned, facing Harry as he climbed through the portrait hole. He cradled his hand to his chest. "Don't. That's exactly what she wants."

"Harry," Hermione cried, jumping up and helping him to sit on the couch. "Here," she said, holding out a small bowl. "This is a potion I read about the other night. Murtlap essence. Soak your hand in it. It will make your hand feel better."

I raised an eyebrow, steering us back to the topic at hand. "You'd rather be covered in blood?"

"I'd rather not do anything to get whichever teacher I tell sacked," Harry pointed out. "You know she'd do it for revenge."

"True."

"We should do _something_," Hermione said, biting her lip.

"Like what?" I asked. "Send an anonymous tip?"

"No, I mean to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts," she elaborated. "You know we aren't going to be able to pass our O.W.L.s with _her_ as our teacher."

"Not like we can do much about that. She's already got the job," Ron pointed out.

"Perhaps." She hesitated, as if she was unsure about the next part of her speech. "Unless we learn it by ourselves."

I made a face. "You mean more homework?"

"I mean learning how to defend ourselves! I mean honing our skills and getting better." Her eyes were alight and her hands were waving with enthusiasm. "It's about being able to protect ourselves from Death Eaters, after all."

"So you want us to practice jinxes that we read about, then?" Ron asked.

"No. We need a teacher."

"What, like Lupin?" Harry inquired, his eyebrow raised. "He's kind of far away, you know."

"Actually..." she trailed off before taking a deep breath. "I mean you, Harry. You should be our teacher."

A pause, and then, "Are you mental?"

"No," Ron said slowly. "No, I think she's on to something..."

"You can't be serious!"

"Yeah," I interjected. "I don't know. Having a teacher that's younger than me isn't going to do a whole lot for my reputation around here."

"Harry, you're the only person qualified-"

"I'm really not."

"Look at all that you've done!" Hermione commanded. "You've done so much."

"Like?"

"Are you daft?" Ron said with a roll of his eyes. "Hmm. Let'd see. First year, you went up against You-Know-Who and saved the Sorcerer's Stone from him and that idiot Quirrell."

"Right, and I'm lucky to be alive," Harry commented. I, however, frowned. The Sorcerer's Stone? What the hell was that?

"Second year," Ron continued. "You saved my sister from the young You-Know-Who and killed a basilisk." I raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks to Fawkes!"

"Third year," Hermione continued for him. "You fought off all of those dementors-"

"Right, because of the whole Time Turner thing-"

"And then last year," Ron concluded. "You fought off You-Know-Who once more-"

"He came back in the first place because of me!"

I chuckled to myself, causing all three to look in my direction. "Wow, Harry. I didn't realize you had such an impressive resumé. Do you ever have a boring year at Hogwarts?"

"No," Ron said with a grin.

"Well," I shrugged. "I vote that Harry teaches us."

"No! You don't get it. Those stories... they were filled with luck, and assistance, and _not skill_. I used my wits and good fortune to survive, and I used other people for help! I'm _not_ some great defender-"

"But Harry," I protested. "That's how life is. _Nobody _gets anywhere alone and without a bit of luck. Skill is helpful, but it's your ability to think quickly that helped you to survive the tasks last year, and with you as my teacher, I feel confident that you'll pass that ability down."

He shook his head, though. "You don't understand! You don't understand what it's like to go up against him... To face him-"

"We don't," Hermione whispered, her voice shaking a bit. "We don't, and that's why we need you, Harry. So we can learn from you. So we can learn about You-Know... So we can learn about V-Voldemort." Surprise colored Harry's face as he stared back at his friend. "Please," she said quietly. "Just think about it."

He stood suddenly, and the bowl of murtlap essence smashed to the ground. "I'm going to bed," he said as Hermione repaired the bowl. "I'll see you guys later." He made his way towards his dorm, and Ron awkwardly followed, shrugging as he went after his friend.

Hermione sighed, rubbing her eyes. "I hope he says yes," she muttered.

Light flowed through me, and with it came a feeling of conviction. I smiled at the brunette I sat by. "Don't worry," I said with confidence. "He will."

* * *

His lips grazed mine, lightly brushing against them as I hungrily pushed back, anxious for more. His hands were intertwined in my hair, gently pulling on it to tilt my head back...

"And, really, when you think about it, her English should have improved by now. It's been a few months after all," Bill muttered against my lips.

I fought back a groan. He was so distracted! I sighed, pulling back to look at him. "Maybe Fleur's just a slow learner," I said. "I mean, she _did_ come in last in the Triwizard Tournament."

"But I spend all of my time looking after her and checking her work..." he trailed off with a shake of his head. "It's bloody annoying."

"Well," I said glibly. "At least you have something pretty to look at."

But he just smiled down at me in amusement. "Not as pretty as you."

I laughed, pulling his head back down to mine. "Good answer."

* * *

Sure enough, Harry eventually agreed to Hermione's plan, and the next Hogsmeade weekend, the four of us were traipsing out towards a shady looking bar called the Hog's Head. Dirt covered the inside of the room, and when Hermione offered to go and order the drinks, I'd declined, having no desire to pick up any of the filth from the room. It wasn't until after she'd told me that she'd brought her own glasses that I relented and ordered a firewhiskey.

Hermione turned her nose up at this. "I can't believe you'd drink something that strong. You're too young."

But I just shrugged. "I have a feeling that this is going to be a long afternoon. I need something to get me through it."

"So who is supposed to be coming?" Harry asked as he struggled to open the cap of his butterbeer.

"You'll see."

And see we did. One by one, students began to flow into the Hog's Head. Dean, Lavender, and Neville. Parvati and Padma. Katie, Alicia, and Angelina. Some brunette girl and her Asian friend, who Harry couldn't stop looking at. Luna and the Creevey brothers. Some Hufflepuffs, some Ravenclaws. Ginny and her boyfriend (I nodded at her in approval). Fred, George, and Lee Jordan made up the rear.

"Is that all?" Harry asked Hermione sarcastically.

She dropped her voice low as she responded. Meanwhile, I'd moved to sit by Ginny. "He's nervous."

"He should be," she muttered back. "I don't think most of these people actually believe You-Know-Who is back. Or, at the very least, they don't want to believe."

"How's Michael, by the way?"

She rolled her eyes. "Decent. Though I must say, he does love to snog."

I raised an eyebrow. "Just snogging, I hope."

"Oh please," she responded with a half grin. "I'm not _you_."

I let out a chuckle just as Hermione began. "Hello," she said, a timid note in her voice. "Well... You all know why we're here. We need a proper Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Harry here has... kindly volunteered to teach us-"

"Has been coerced, is more like it," I whispered to Ginny.

"We need to learn how to defend ourselves," she continued. "And to do that-"

"You just want to pass your O.W.L.s," Michael Corner accused as next to him, Ginny groaned.

Hermione looked taken aback. "Well, of course. But there are more important things than O.W.L.s, you know." She took a deep breath. "Voldemort is back." The crowd shrieked as one. I rolled my eyes. Idiots. "And we have to learn how to defend ourselves."

"How do you know he's back?" Some stupid Hufflepuff boy asked.

"Dumbledore believes he is-"

"Based on second-hand knowledge," the boy pointed out. "I want to know what really happened."

"Well you're out of luck," Harry said, speaking for the first time since everyone had arrived. "Because I'm not going to tell you. I saw him. I fought him. But if you don't believe Dumbledore, then you aren't going to believe me, and I'm certainly not going to waste my time trying to convince you otherwise."

"You tell them, Harry," Ron said, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"If you don't want to learn," he continued. "You can just leave."

Boy, those were words I never thought I'd hear _Harry _say.

Hermione looked lost for a moment; the turn the conversation had taken had clearly derailed her. However, once it became clear that no one was leaving, she soon picked up where she'd left off. "Right. So we're going to learn defense-"

"Can you produce a Patronus?" a Ravenclaw girl asked Harry suddenly.

Harry blinked. "Uh, yeah."

"And didn't you kill that basilisk?" Collin Creevey inquired. "The one that had petrified me during my first year?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"And," Neville jumped in. "He saved that Stone thing from You-Know-Who in our first year."

"And the tournament," the Asian girl said. "He competed in that."

"But I had a lot of help with most of-"

"But not all of it," Dean pointed out. "I mean, you got past the dragon alone. And the dementors over the summer-"

"Right, but-"

"The point is," Hermione cried out, trying desperately to regain control over the situation. "Harry can teach us. Do we all want to take lessons from him?"

People around the room nodded their consent, a few of them giving joyful answers. Hermione smiled, pleased to see that her plan was working out. "Right then," she said. "Now we just need to figure out when and where we should meet-"

"Well, factor in Quidditch to the schedule," Angelina interrupted. "We aren't canceling practice for this." Various students nodded, revealing how much more important Quidditch was to them than learning how to defend themselves was.

I rolled my eyes. Crazy sports fanatics.

"I'm sure we can find a time that suits everyone."

"So we can meet once a week," I jumped in, deciding to share my opinion. "But where?"

"We'll figure that out later," Hermione said briskly. "But for now," she pulled out a piece of parchment. "I think that we should all sign this. It's an agreement of sorts, to keep quiet about this and to not tell Umbridge."

"Cool," I said grabbing it from her. "It's like our own little Declaration of Independence."

Unsurprisingly, however, several people hesitated. "What if the list is found?" the idiot Hufflepuff asked. "I don't want to get in trouble."

"Do you have any idea who Hermione Granger is?" I asked, slightly incredulous. "She doesn't even leave her _socks _lying around. I highly doubt she's going to spontaneously become careless with something this important."

The objections died down after that. The entire crowd signed the parchment, one at a time, before slowly trickling away, leaving me with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they cleaned up their stuff.

"That went rather well," Hermione said with a grin as she buttoned her coat. "They all seemed fairly interested."

"It wasn't the worst idea you've ever had," Harry admitted begrudgingly.

"No, it wasn't," I said as I picked up my bag. "I'll see you guys in a few hours, all right?"

Ron frowned. "Where are you going?"

"To see your brother."

* * *

So here you go; I told you it would be a bit longer!

Just a quick heads-up: I will not be updating for about a week because something evil and horrendous has unfortunately come up. This depraved monster is called Real Life. I know that everyone is crying in frustration now as you all suffer the same pain I'm in; no one wants to face the beast of Real Life, but alas, it must be done. I know that those stronger and braver than me would go on and try to update their stories anyway, even under such duress, but I simply cannot. No, really. I can't. I'm going to be spending time with my family in a remote log cabin for a week. But I'll try and update as quickly as I can when I return!

In the meantime, how about a little encouragement? I would really love to come back from the terrors of Real Life and find my inbox flooded with fifty or so reviews... Though, that is fairly unrealistic, so I'll just settle for ten or so. ;)

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: GumiBearOnAShortBus, brilliantblonde, tree1138, arrowheadhunter, and julieakaweirdo. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	10. The DA

_Previously..._

_The objections died down after that. The entire crowd signed the parchment, one at a time, before slowly trickling away, leaving me with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they cleaned up their stuff._

_"That went rather well," Hermione said with a grin as she buttoned her coat. "They all seemed fairly interested."_

_"It wasn't the worst idea you've ever had," Harry admitted begrudgingly._

_"No, it wasn't," I said as I picked up my bag. "I'll see you guys in a few hours, all right?"_

_Ron frowned. "Where are you going?"_

_"To see your brother."_

_

* * *

_

Someone had to have squealed.

That was the only explanation. How else could that hag Umbridge have learned about our little secret club? Literally days after our covert meeting in Hogsmeade, a notice was posted, stating that any clubs unapproved by her would have all of the members expelled.

"Who do you think told?" I whispered in a low voice as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I made our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"My money's on Zacharias Smith. The bloke's trouble-"

"Wait. Who is that?" I interrupted.

"That Hufflepuff with the dark hair," Ron said.

"Oh. I didn't really like him."

"Me neither. It easily could have been him! Or Michael Corner-"

Hermione snorted. "Of course you want to blame Ginny's boyfriend. You just don't like that he's with your sister." Apparently, after I'd gone to visit Bill, Hermione had accidentally let it slip to Ron and Harry that Ginny wasn't exactly single.

"He's too old for her!" Ron huffed.

Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Besides, if anyone told Umbridge, I'd know about it. I sort of... jinxed the list that we all signed."

Harry's eyes widened. "Really? That's brilliant!"

"Well then it has to have been someone who was eavesdropping in the pub. Someone with close ties to the Ministry," I reasoned.

"Who cares who told? It's after the fact. The point is, we now have to be extra cautious. We have to watch what we say about this in public," Harry said firmly.

"So we're still going to do it?" We spun around, coming face to face with Neville, Dean, and Ginny, the three of them eagerly awaiting Harry's reply.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, so much for being cautious and watching what we say."

"Of course we're going to do it anyway," Harry breathed.

"Excellent," Fred said, his hand appearing on my shoulder as he and George joined our group. "This should be rather amusing."

"Wait, here come the Hufflepuffs... And Michael Corner," Ron sneered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, should we be seen together?"

Hermione, however, was already on it. "Sit down!" she was mouthing towards the others. "Later! Sit down!"

I turned to the others. "Spread the word, will you? Subtly. We don't need to draw attention to ourselves."

"Right," Ginny said, heading towards the Ravenclaw table. "I'll talk to Michael... and the others." Ron scowled as his little sister approached her boyfriend, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before beginning to speak in hushed tones.

* * *

_The letter crinkled in my hand, the words swimming together before my eyes. How could this be? Why... Why would he do this? It didn't make any sense, not with what I knew... I glanced down at the words again._

Sorry, Avery. I can't see you tonight. I have to work late. Maybe some other time.

-Bill

_Fear flowed through me as I looked up. What if I was right? What if... What if..._

I came to with a start, my head jerking slightly as I roused myself from the vision. _That was strange_, I thought, shaking my head slightly. Why would I be so afraid of Bill working late? Was he hurt? Was I worried that he was going to overdo it? I desperately searched my mind for some clue as to when the vision was to take place, but to no avail.

Glancing around, I realized that the seat besides me was empty. The same seat that Harry usually occupied during History of Magic... I turned to Ron. "Where's Harry?" I whispered.

He gave me a weird look, but answered anyway. "Don't you remember? Hedwig came to the window. Harry says she's hurt. He's taking her to the Hospital Wing."

"Hedwig the_ bird_?"

He rolled his eyes. "How many other Hedwigs do you know?"

"Well excuse me, but it's not every day an owl goes to see a _doctor_."

Ron snorted. "Maybe in your world."

* * *

"So then McGonagall thinks someone intercepted her?" Ron asked as Hermione stood, her arms crossed.

"Yeah." He tilted his head to the side. "You don't seem very surprised..."

"Well what with the escalating war climate, of course more and more owls will be intercepted," Hermione reasoned. "Who was it from, though?"

"Snuffles."

I raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean we're seeing him tonight?"

"Of course-"

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Hermione interrupted, beginning to pace the length of the common room as she spoke. "What if someone else read that letter? What if now they know-"

"Know what?" Harry asked. "That something is happening at the 'same time, same place?' That's hardly enough information for us to be caught."

"I just think we ought to be cautious. What with Death Eaters on the loose, and Umbridge getting more and more strict... We can't take as many risks as we did last year. We need to play it safely, quietly-"

"Thank god for that," I muttered. "I've had enough near-death experiences for awhile, thank you very much."

"You get used to them, after awhile," Ron said, standing up as he grabbed his bag. "Come on, now. Let's head down to potions. No need to get detention for being late."

And so we trekked down to the dungeons, the cool air surrounding us, a chill climbed up my spine as I walked. Something wicked was coming my way, something was going to happen...

"Neville, no!"

The next thing I knew, Harry and Ron had their arms around Neville's waist and were pulling him back, rather forcefully, away from Malfoy. The blond ferret had a look of shock plastered on his face, as if he was surprised by Neville's sudden violence. I turned to Hermione. "What happened?"

She shook her head. "I have no idea. Malfoy was just prattling away about St. Mungo's, and then Neville just snapped."

"Weird," I muttered.

"Very."

I didn't respond, though, because the weirdness I was referring to wasn't about Neville, but about Malfoy. I had been so sure that I'd sensed something cruel and vindictive... Was it Malfoy? But I immediately shook the thought away. No, it couldn't be Malfoy. He may have been a slimy prick, but that didn't make him evil.

Yet.

Maybe I really hadn't sensed anything then, maybe it was just a false alarm... As we filed into the classroom, Snape's voice rang out. "It appears that we have a guest today," he drawled, inclining his head towards a corner.

I swiveled my head, peering into the dark depths of the room... to find Umbridge, perched on her stool. For a moment, a slight grin slid onto my face. I hadn't been wrong; there really _was _something evil here.

"Instructions," he continued in his normal drawl. "For the Strengthening Solution you will be continuing to make are on the board. You have until class ends. Begin."

A flurry of activity followed his announced, as students stood and hurried to the supply cupboard, desperate to quickly gather their ingredients. Umbridge sat on her little stool in the corner, making notes on that same annoying clipboard as we worked. It wasn't until near the end of the period, however, that things got interesting. Snape was in the process of sniffing at Ron's cauldron, his potion murky green when it should of been blue, when Umbridge approached. "A Strengthening Solution is extremely advanced for students their age. I'll be speaking to the Ministry, to see if we can't get it removed from the course," she said sweetly, causing Snape to straighten up, his eyes narrowing. "However, they seem to be on track, so to speak. Now, how long have you been teaching here at Hogwarts?"

I watched his face out of the corner of my eye, looking for some sign of annoyance or anger. "Fourteen years," he said rather stiffly.

Umbridge made a little note on her clipboard. "And you didn't originally apply for the position of Potions master, am I right? You actually applied first for the Defense Against the Dark arts position?"

His jaw flexed for a fraction of a second, before the smooth facade was back in place. "Correct."

"And you didn't get the job?"

I rolled my eyes to Hermione. "What kind of a question is that?" I muttered.

I could see Snape's patience wearing thin, his sneer deepening as he answered Umbridge, echoing my sentiment. "Obviously."

"And despite the fact that you keep being denied this job, you continue to apply for the post anyway, do you not?"

Hermione and I exchanged glances, amazed with how far this woman was willing to push. Evil bitch... "Yes," Snape said sharply, his eyes narrowing once more.

"And do you know what qualifications you're lacking that are causing Dumbledore to deny you the post again and again," Umbridge asked, a small smile on her face, as if this was fun for her.

"Perhaps you should ask him."

"I will, don't worry."

"I wasn't," he snapped, before rounding on Harry and giving him a zero for the day.

* * *

"But I'm sick of charms," I complained, rolling my eyes as Snape demonstrated another spell for me later in the evening. I was once again at my remedial night class, leaning how to do the basics as my peers got to sleep. Though in all actuality, I wouldn't be sleeping, anyway. The meeting with Sirius was in a few hours, and I'd be going straight from my lessons with Snape to see him... I shook my head. "Can't we move on?"

He scowled. "Not until you're proficient," he said dryly. "Which, at this rate, won't be for another year."

"Hey, you said we'd be ready to start the Ultimate Power stuff in a few weeks. Don't go changing the date on me now," I said, shaking my bangs out of my eyes.

"Well then maybe you should work harder. If you have any hope of catching up with your peers, you're going to have to become more diligent and efficient," he snapped.

Though his words were slightly insulting, I just rolled my eyes. "You're just mad because Umbridge chewed you out today."

He blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"You know," I said, waving my hand around. "She questioned your ability to teach. Actually, she kind of made you look like an idiot."

His jaw tightened. "And this information is supposed to make me want to help you?"

"Oh come on," I said lightly, sliding onto one of the desks. "Everyone knows you hate her."

He raised an eyebrow. "And why would you say that?"

"Well because everyone hates her. It's, you know, the circle of life, and all that. People are born, people grow up, people die, people hate Umbridge... It's a rite of passage."

"And it's up there with dying, is it?" he sneered. "Well then aren't I lucky to be partaking in such an eventful rite of passage."

"You know, you can pretend that you're indifferent to her, but the fact is that _no one_ is. She's a cruel person, and even McGonagall can't stand her."

"Well, if _Professor_ McGonagall dislikes her, then of course I shall follow her example," said with a roll of his eyes.

I raised both of my hands in the universal don't-shoot pose. "I was just saying that you could vent to me about-"

"And why, in the name of Merlin, would I _ever_ want to do that?"

I shrugged. "Because we're surprisingly alike, you and I. Both smart, sarcastic, decent at potions-"

"I'm kilometers above decent, you silly girl-"

"I am, or course, nicer, funnier, and friendlier, given that I actually _have_ friends, which is more than you can say-" He opened his mouth to interrupt, but I barreled on. "However, we both hate Umbridge, and I guarantee that we both thought she was completely out of line today."

The anger that had been settling around his features dissipated as he raised an eyebrow. "Do we?"

"Yes. Thus, we share some common ground. You know, something to discuss so these little lessons aren't so awkward." I shrugged, tilting my head to the side. "We could potentially be allies against Umbridge, though we'd, of course, have to keep contact between each other at a minimum. I don't want to accidentally kill you, or something, out of anger."

I was so sure he would growl, or snap at me, telling me to stop messing about and to get back to work. But no. Instead, a corner of his mouth lifted a smidgen, and for a second, I could believe that he was amused. Though, it was just for a second. "Try the spell," he sneered at last.

* * *

I stumbled into the common room later that night, the Golden Trio standing at attention in front of the fireplace. However, when they saw that it was just me, they relaxed. Harry turned towards the fire, revealing the head of Sirius Black. "Go on," he said.

Sirius grinned. "Avery," he said with a nod of his head. Then he addressed Harry. "No, I definitely think this defense club of yours is a brilliant idea."

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Sirius said with a roll of his eyes. I sat down on the rug next to Hermione. "Given the nutter that's lurking outside of Hogwarts, waiting to slowly kill us all, learning how to defend yourself might be a decent idea."

"Well when you put it that way," I muttered.

"Umbridge could catch us," Hermione pointed out.

But Sirius just tilted his head to the side. "No doubt she might. But at least you'll be able to defend yourself when you get expelled."

Ron grinned. "I like the way you think, mate."

"Of course you do," Hermione scoffed.

"Now then," Sirius continued. "Where will you hold your meetings?"

Ron, Hermione, and I exchanged looks as Harry shrugged. "No idea."

"What about the Shrieking Shack?" Sirius suggested.

"Right, because no one would notice twenty kids traipsing around the grounds late at night towards the Whomping Willow," I pointed out.

"Besides," Hermione added. "It's too small."

"We could use an empty classroom-" Ron began, but Sirius just shook his head.

"No, that could be even more noticeable than using the Shrieking Shack. If you keep on disappearing late at night into a classroom, students will start to get suspicious. They may think you're using the room for... other purposes." He raised his eyebrows to make his meaning known. Harry and Hermione both blushed as Ron and I rolled our eyes. Neither of us were phased by Sirius' sexual insinuation. Ron _did_ have five older brothers, and I wasn't exactly a virgin...

"Well where do you think we should go, then?" Ron asked.

Sirius frowned. "No idea. Let me sleep on it, and I'll get back to you. Maybe tomorrow. What time do you think-" He stopped speaking his face growing stiff as a sudden feeling of panic sprang through me, rising up from my stomach.

I locked eyes with Harry's godfather, and an understanding went trough us. _Something was wrong..._ "Sirius," I warned, nodding my head. But before I'd even gotten his name out fully, he'd gone, disappeared back into the flames.

"Why did he just-"

Harry stopped speaking suddenly, as a large, bejeweled hand began snatching at the empty air where Sirius' head had previously been poking out of the fire. In a flash, the four of us were standing, yanking our bags from the floor, and bolting for our respective dormitories.

* * *

"Merlin! That was a close one," Hermione whispered as we threw our bags to the foot of our beds. "Did you see... Did... The hand-"

Parvati gave a small whimper, twisting in her sleep. Putting my finger to my lips, I drew back the curtain around my bed, ushered Hermione inside, and then followed her, shutting the curtain behind me. Quietly, I took out my wand and cast a silencing spell, allowing for only the two of us to hear what we were talking about. Satisfied, I put my wand back in my pocket. "You were saying?"

But she had just risen an eyebrow. "Someone's caught up in her little magic lessons."

I rolled my eyes. "Snape's a better one on one teacher than he is a group one. Then again, I may just be saying that because when he bites, I bite back." I shrugged. "Either way, the lessons are definitely interesting."

"You know what else is interesting? How Umbridge knew where Sirius would be," Hermione said, lowering her voice automatically. "How on earth could she have guessed what 'Same time, same place' had meant?"

I made a face. "Dumb luck?"

But Hermione shook her head. "She must be watching the fireplaces. That's probably how she knew that someone was there who wasn't supposed to be. She probably had no idea it was Sirius Black, just that it was someone unwanted."

"Can you imagine what she would have done is she _had_ known it was Sirius?"

"Probably stormed the place," Hermione said with a small laugh. "Though if you think about it, she has to realize that Harry was the person Sirius was meeting, given the letter from Hedwig."

I sighed. "Yeah, she's probably got that figured out by now. Which means she'll be suspicious of him."

"Which means she'll be suspicious of us by association," Hermione pointed out.

"Well then," I muttered. "This should be a _fun_ semester."

* * *

"I don't know why you even bothered to show up when you're not going to be prepared," Darcy snapped at me, her eyes hardening as I botched up the hip hop routine again.

"Sorry," I said sincerely as I brushed away sweat from my brow. "I'm been so swamped at school. There hasn't really been time-"

"To practice? To get good? To try and improve so we can _win_?" Darcy shook her head as Tyler and Anderson quickly lowered their eyes, silently lending support to our crew's leader. "You're letting us all down. Your teammates! Have you forgotten what that's like? That winning is why we work so hard? That it's our goal?"

"My life's just hectic right now, Drace-"

"Well I doubt it's going to get any easier," She sneered. "So you need to either learn how to deal, or fall apart completely, but this half-assed thing you're doing isn't working for me." My sixth sense tingled, telling me that she'd said something important, that her words were foreshadowing a major event and that if I could just make the connection... But then she spoke again, and the moment was lost. "Now. Try it again."

* * *

Harry contacted me the next day, telling me he'd found a place for us to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Is it big enough?" I asked upon hearing the news. "You know, for, like, twenty people?"

"Hopefully," was his only response.

It wasn't exactly what I'd call reassuring.

However we followed him anyway. The four of us arrived at some deserted corridor on the seventh floor twenty minutes before our intended meeting time. "Well?" Hermione asked. "What now?"

"Give me a minute," he mumbled, pacing back and forth in front of the wall.

"He has no idea what he's doing, does he?" I muttered to Hermione.

"You know, I think I'm inclined to agree with you on this," she whispered back.

"You two have no faith," Ron complained. "He definitely knows what he's doing-" Suddenly, he was cut off... By a door magically appearing in the middle of the empty wall. Ron recovered from the shock of the Secret Door first, and he grinned at us. "Told you."

* * *

"So," Harry said, rather awkwardly once everyone had arrived and seated themselves on the floor surrounding him. "Welcome. Glad to see that you've found the place okay."

"It's perfect," Parvati mumbled. "However did _you_ find it?"

"Oh, a little house-elf told me," Harry said quickly, before speaking once more. "Anyway, I think that... Well, to start out we should-" He paused, his eyes widening a bit. "Yes, Hermione?"

Turning from my spot on the floor in between Fred and Ginny, I saw Hermione, her hand up in the air. She smiled at Harry. "We need to elect a leader."

I made a face. "Are you lobbying for the position?"

She blinked. "Not at all-"

"Well then Harry's the leader," Cho Chang said, rather viciously.

"Right, but we should make it more official. Vote on it, and all to make it more proper. So, all for Harry?" Everyone's hands flew up. "Any opposed?" Silence rang out in the room as Hermione nodded with joy.

"Er, okay," Harry said in a surprised manner. "Now that that's done- _Yes _Hermione?"

"We should have a group name to help promote unity and team spirit," she stated, matter-of-factly. "Not to mention that it will give us something to refer to outside of the meetings. I mean, we can hardly go around talking about The Secret Defense Club, or what not."

Ron snorted. "Is that really important?"

I thought back to what Darcy had said. _"You're letting us all down. Your teammates!_" Was I really? Was I ruining something special because I didn't feel involved in the team anymore? Was our lack of unity slowly making my team dissolve? No, unity was important. It had to be-

"Are you all right?"

I turned my head, blinking rapidly as Ginny came into focus, an amused expression on her face. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, we're discussing team names. That's the kind of thing you'd have an opinion on. In fact, normally, you'd have shouted your opinion at the top of your lungs by now."

I scowled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

I sighed. "Can't I just be boring for one day?"

But Ginny just shook her head. "No. Not you. It just doesn't happen."

"Then it's decided," Hermione said rather loudly. "Dumbledore's Army, the DA, is what we shall be referred to as from now on."

"Right then," Harry said, trying to reign in the conversation and to steer it back to the topic of defense. "Now that we're finished with all of _that, _let's start going over some of the basics. We'll begin with the Disarming Charm, _Expelliarmus..._"

* * *

I sat at The Three Broomsticks, alone in a booth, a butterbeer in my hand as I waited for Bill to arrive. It was Friday night, our usual date night, and it seemed that he was running late. I tapped my foot, cracking my knuckles as I waited. I wanted him to hurry up and arrive! Waiting for him was boring, and I had so much to tell him about the DA-

"Avery!" he said, appearing before me at the booth. He leaned down and I opened my mouth to kiss him, hungry for him after being apart for a week. But in a second, he'd pulled away, leaving me with a surprisingly chaste kiss.

"You're late," I said, raising an eyebrow. He was still standing before me. "What are you waiting for, a veiled invitation? Sit down."

He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head quickly. "Actually, I can't stay. I have to go back to work. Late night, you know. I would have written to tell you, but Sirius explained to me what happened with Umbridge, and, well, I didn't want to risk my letter being intercepted. You know?"

He was rambling, but I just stared. "So, what? Are you breaking our date?"

"So I can work!" he added quickly. "That's all. I promise... Is that all right?'

"Of course it is. If you have to work, then you have to work. But I'll still see you next Friday, right?" I asked reaching for his hand.

But he was already pulling away, heading for the door. "You know it. See you later!"

And he was gone. Suddenly, I was alone again, with just my weak drink as company. And as I stared after him and towards the door of the pub, I got the feeling that he had just lied to me. He was keeping something from me. No, something wasn't right.

* * *

So school has started again, which is fairly depressing. But fear not! I'm still here! I'm really excited for the next chapter; it'll develop Avery's relationship with Bill some more, so it should be fun.

On a different note, a few weeks ago I posted a Ron/Hermione oneshot called Slippery. It's pretty cute, so please go and check it out, and tell me what you think!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: sailor-tin-foil, The Reader, Hati, GumiBearOnAShortBus, brilliantblonde, tree1138, arrowheadhunter, anonymous, shopoholic06, and julieakaweirdo. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	11. The Rain of Fire

_Previously..._

_He was rambling, but I just stared. "So, what? Are you breaking our date?"_

_"So I can work!" he added quickly. "That's all. I promise... Is that all right?'_

_"Of course it is. If you have to work, then you have to work. But I'll still see you next Friday, right?" I asked reaching for his hand._

_But he was already pulling away, heading for the door. "You know it. See you later!"_

_And he was gone. Suddenly, I was alone again, with just my weak drink as company. And as I stared after him and towards the door of the pub, I got the feeling that he had just lied to me. He was keeping something from me. No, something wasn't right._

_

* * *

_

Winter began to set in, snow coating the ground in a light layer. It was an odd feeling, being at Hogwarts during November without any ball or event approaching. Last year, the Triwizard Tournament had preoccupied our minds, but now the school was silent, classwork being the only thing of interest to anyone.

Well, for the lucky few in the DA, we also had our defense training to look forward to. Harry was a surprisingly good teacher, providing us with time to work on everything from disarming spells to obstructing jinxes. Between the DA and my lessons with Snape, I was quickly becoming better and better at magic, nearly catching up to my peers.

The downside of the DA was that it wasn't a school sanctioned event, meaning that we couldn't have our meetings on the same day every week. Instead, we had to stagger our meetings randomly. Due to my extra lessons with Snape, I sometimes couldn't go to them all. But I wasn't really worried about falling behind; Ginny and Hermione made sure I stayed caught up.

"Hey," Hermione would call, hitting me over the head with a pillow in the early morning. I would blink, annoyed at having been unceremoniously woken up. "We worked on the Reductor Curse last meeting." Parvati and Lavender would nod as Ginny tossed me my wand. "Let's see what you've got."

And so our defense training went beyond the DA meetings, leaking into our dormitory. Ginny would sneak up to our room every night, and we would practice past one in the morning, after everyone else was asleep.

Hermione, however, went above and beyond the call of duty to the DA. She devised a way for us to communicate with each other without drawing attention. "Here," she said one meeting as she passed out little gold coins. "See the numbers on the side of the Galleons? They represent a date. The coins will carry the date of the next meeting on them, so make sure you pay attention, okay?"

In addition to the DA, Quidditch was becoming a hot topic. The first match of the season, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, was quickly approaching, and the school was abuzz with predictions of the game.

I, however, was fairly indifferent.

"I don't see the point, really," I told Hermione one day. "I mean, yeah flying is cool. When Harry used his broom to get past the dragon, it was pretty awesome. However, to _compete_ on a broom? Why?"

Hermione had just rolled her eyes. "Well what else are they going to do in their spare time?"

The day of the match soon dawned, and as I came down to breakfast, Harry was attempting to coax Ron into eating. "Come on, mate. You'll do fine. You just need to eat something."

"You nervous?" Ginny asked, sliding into the seat next to her brother.

"He'll be fine," Harry answered for him.

"Of course he will be," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "People always perform better when they're nervous."

I made a face. "So not true. That's a total logical fallacy. People can psych themselves out if they let the nerves get the best of them."

Ron groaned as next to me, Harry glared. "You're not helping."

Yeah, I supposed calling Hermione on her error wasn't the best way to bolster up the redhead. I turned to Ron. "You're going to be fine," I said smoothly. "I get nervous too, before big performances. You just have to take a deep breath and get into the zone."

Ron blinked. "The scoring zone? But I'm Keeper."

"No!" I was going to buy them all American slang books for Christmas, because this was getting ridiculous. "The zone! You know, the right mindset. You have to force yourself to calm down and focus on the game. You can do it."

"Do you hear that, Ron?" Harry said, standing up. "You can do this. We should get down to the Quidditch pitch. Don't want to be late for the game."

Hermione stood as well, giving Ron a quick kiss on the cheek. "You'll be fine. Good luck you guys!"

As they departed, I turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "What was that?"

She blushed. "I don't know what you mean."

Ginny just laughed. "Oh you _so_ like my brother. This is perfect."

"You think he'll figure it out, now?" I asked Ginny.

"Oh, Merlin no. He's way too bloody daft. You could stand in front of him stark naked with a big sign proclaiming your love, and he _still _wouldn't understand," she said with a laugh as Hermione blushed.

* * *

"This is completely barbaric," I muttered as some Slytherin side-swiped our captain.

"It's Quidditch," Hermione said grimly.

_Weasley cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring..._

I spoke louder to be heard over the Slytherin singing. "Yes, but it's-" I winced as Fred got hit with a Bludger. "It's insane! It's all about pain and-"

"As if American football isn't?" she retorted, rising her eyebrows.

_That's why Slytherins all sing:_

_Weasley is our King._

"I didn't say that American football wasn't insane. I think all sports are stupid, truth be told. I just thought that the wizarding world would be above these crass and low forms of entertainment-"

"Says the American," she quipped.

_Weasley was born in a bin,_

_He always let's the Quaffle in..._

I rolled my eyes. "Haha. You really are clever today, aren't you?" I said dryly. "With all of your American jokes."

She smiled. "Yes, it is quite fun." The roar of the Slytherins was louder now, the song echoing off the stadium walls...

_WEASLEY IS OUR KING, _

_WEASLEY IS OUR KING_...

I groaned. "I wish they'd just shut up!" I shouted at Hermione.

She nodded. "I know. It's... much... confidence!"

I blinked. "What?"

_WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,_

_WEASLEY CANNOT SAVE A THING..._

She leaned in closer to me. "I said... probably... much... Ron's... right?"

I made a face. "What was that?"

_THAT'S WHY SLYTHERINS ALL SING:_

_WEASLEY IS OUR KING!_

Hermione cocked her head to the side. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, this is ridiculous!"

"What?"

_WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,_

_HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN..._

I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply as I forced myself to relax. Opening my eyes, I glared across the field at the Slytherins. I didn't know what I was trying to do, what the purpose of my little experiment was. The only thing I was really aware of was that I wanted them to shut up...

_WEASLEY WILL MAKE SURE WE WIN,_

_WEASLEY IS OUR- AHHHHH!_

They broke off, their song coming to a sudden stop as they screamed, running from their seats as flaming embers rained down above them. Students quickly patted the flames out, or used magic to smother the fire, but most just ran quickly, desperate to escape.

"Ah," I said with a small smile. "That's better."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Avery!" she hissed. "Did you-"

"Well not consciously," I said, as I watched the teachers hurrying to the Slytherin portion of the stadium, desperate to put the fire out. "But I'm not complaining."

"You shouldn't have done that," she whispered as Harry went into a dive. Oh yeah. The match was still going on. "What if someone had seen? What if you really hurt them, or you got caught-"

"No one saw," I said with a roll of my eyes. But even as I said the words, I knew they weren't true. Looking up, I searched through the crowd, desperate to find... And there he was. Snape was staring back at me, his eyes narrowed as we watched each other. I knew without a doubt in my mind that he was holding me rightfully responsible for this mess.

* * *

"What the bloody hell was going through your mind?" Snape hissed as he slammed the door to his classroom shut behind us, warding the door so no one could overhear. "Did you _want_ to get caught? Did you _want _to be noticed?"

I shrugged, rubbing my arm from where he'd grabbed me before he'd dragged me to the dungeons. "You were the only one who realized that I set the place on fire, and that's only because you know-"

"About the Ultimate Power," he snapped. "Which, if you want to keep this discovery quiet, means you need to stop flaunting your powers!"

"Well maybe if you kept the Slytherins under better control, I wouldn't need to shut them up!"

"That is not your place," he growled. "Ten points from Gryffindor! And another ten for trying to burn my students alive."

"I wasn't trying to set them on_ fire,_" I protested. "I was just trying to get them to stop singing. I didn't know what was going to happen; I just shut my eyes and hoped for the best."

"And the raining fire is what happened?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." I made a face. "I was actually hoping for something a little more subtle."

"Yes, that would have been much preferable," he said dryly, a weary look taking over his features. "Your powers are out of control."

I chuckled. "Don't I know it."

His eyes hardened and he turned away from me, letting me know I was dismissed. "Then it's time we start to train them."

* * *

I entered the common room to find a heated debate going on between Ron and Harry as Hermione sat between them. I went over to her, my eyes wide. "What's going on?"

"Harry, Fred, and George have been given a lifetime Quidditch ban," she said quietly.

I blanched. "What? Why?"

"After Snape pulled you aside, Harry and George started fighting with Malfoy. Umbridge issued the ban, and she blamed Fred for some reason, too," she glanced out the window, then looked back at me. "Ron is now trying to quit..." she trailed off, staring out the window once more.

"Stop blaming yourself!" Harry said loudly. "It's not your fault!"

"But I feel lousy," Ron said, hanging his head.

"So do I."

"But it's my fault that-"

"No, it's not!"

"But-"

"Wait!" Hermione cried out, drawing the attention of the two boys. "You'll feel better soon enough," Hermione said with a grin. "Hagrid's back."

"What?" Harry asked, hurrying to the window. He peered out into the darkness. "He is! We have to go-" He paused for a moment, realizing, perhaps, that it was the middle of the night and they could very easily get caught...

I waved the thought away. "Go," I told the three of them. "I'll cover for you."

* * *

"Right, so today we're going to be working with shield charms," Harry said as he strode around the room late one Thursday evening. "Now, these can be really helpful in blocking spells, but they're fairly difficult to maintain longterm. The other problem is that you can't send out a spell while the shield is up. So the trick is to try and figure out when to shield, and when to cast."

"And how do you do that?" Cho Chang asked.

"There are two main factors in that. You have to know the habits and skills of whoever you're dueling, and you have to practice." Harry smiled slightly. "Today, we'll be working on the practice part."

"I had guessed as much," Zacharias muttered.

"Pair off with someone, and practice the shield charm. Use a basic stinging hex if you're on the offense, and try not to put too much power behind it. We don't want any accidents."

Hermione and I faced each other, ready to duel. She smiled at me. "I'll have you know that I'm already pretty good at the shield charm. I've got you beat."

But I just rolled my eyes. "We'll see about that!"

* * *

"But I totally managed to block her jinx three times," I told Bill as I ran my fingers through his hair. We were at his flat and in his bed, having just had sex on a Friday night. "Granted, she did better than me, but it was still awesome," I said, my voice taking on a quieter tone.

"I'm sure it was," he said with a small chuckle. "It's definitely the highlight of the week, given the Quidditch ban, and everything."

"Tell me about it. You did write to your brothers, right? Tell them how sorry you are and everything?" I shifted my body so I could look into his eyes. "They really need to hear that right now."

He kissed me lightly. "Of course." His lips lingered near my own for a moment, before he pulled back. "So, are they still looking for the fire starter?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. Umbridge is being relentless. She's started interrogating people. I think she's hoping for some sort of grander, more nefarious plot that she can use to punish the entire school."

Bill chuckled. "She sounds horrible."

"She is. I can't wait until the curse on the Defense position takes her out, whatever way that may be." I leaned in, kissing him again. My tongue ran over his bottom lip as I traced his jaw with my finger. Just as I was about to deepen the kiss, he pulled away.

"You should get going," he sayed, all traces of humor gone from his face.

I blinked. "What do you mean? I don't have to be back at the castle for another couple of hours."

"I know. But I have to go in to work early tomorrow morning. I really should get some sleep," he explained.

"Oh. Okay. They're working you really hard, aren't they?" I asked with a small smile. "Does Fleur still need help with English?"

"No," he said sharply, rolling out of bed. "I never see her." He began gathering up my clothes.

I frowned. Something wasn't right here. Why was he so desperate for me to leave? "Is everything okay?"

He looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"

"You seem... agitated," I confessed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just... tired," he says rather stiffly. "Look, I'll talk to you next week, okay?"

I bit my lip, surprised by the force he used to apply the good-bye. "Oh. Okay."

* * *

I walked into my dance studio with my black duffel bag slung over my shoulder the next day. Worry plagued my mind as I pondered everything... Umbridge was becoming increasingly pestilent in her interrogations. Homework was beginning to pile up. Voldemort was looking for some weapon thing, but nobody would tell us what. And then there was Bill... Something was off with him. I just didn't know what.

I sighed, placing my dance bag on the ground at the front of the room. "Hey, Ty," I said with a small smile. "How have you been?"

He blinked at me, almost as if he was surprised to see me there. "Fine. How are you?"

"Long week," I said with a roll of my eyes. "Where are Darcy and Anderson?"

"They'll be here in a minute," he said slowly, as if he were contemplating something. "Avery, what are you going to tell them?"

I blinked. "About what?"

He raised an eyebrow. "About where you-"

"Oh, so _now_ you show up." I turned, my mouth dropping open as Darcy stormed into the room. "You think you can just _choose_ when you want to come to rehearsal? Is that it? Was last Thursday a bad time for you?"

I thought back, trying to remember what I'd been doing... And then it hit me. Oh no. The DA meeting was on Thursday. Our rehearsals were on Thursday. I winced. "Oh, god, Darcy. I'm so sorry, I just forgot-"

"You forgot," she snorted. "Are we that unimportant to you? Huh? Have you melded so perfectly in with your Morning Shots friends that you can't even spare us a thought? You can't hang out with us, you can't grab food with us, you can't come to the phone... And now you can't even remember to come to rehearsal?"

I tried to reason with her. "Look, things are tough right now-"

"Of course they are! That's life, Avery. That's why people prioritize and decide what's important to them!" She shook her head. "What you need to do is decide whether or not you're committed to us. To the team. To winning. Because if not, we need to know _now_ so that we can cut you out of the dances."

My brows knitted together as I felt my eyes well up with tears. "Darcy, of course I'm committed! How can you say-"

"Because you're not," Anderson said, taking a step towards his girlfriend. "You've changed, Avery. I don't know why, but you have. Dance isn't important to you, anymore. You don't care about it. You don't care about us."

I looked down, trying hard not to cry. What I wouldn't give to be able to tell them! About Bill, and Voldemort, and the DA! But no, I couldn't tell my best friend that I was a witch. And now, she hated me. I looked over at my ex-boyfriend, a pleading note in my eyes. "Ty," I whispered.

But he just shook his head. "I understand," he said softly. "I really, truly, understand. But you shouldn't be here. You need to be where you belong, Avery. You can't do this anymore."

As I looked at my former friends, those that I thought I'd always be able to depend on, pain filled my gut. I was alone. They had drifted too far away from me. And so it was with tears in my eyes that I picked up my duffel bag, and ran.

* * *

I knocked on the door to the dungeons a few nights later, and was met with a terse, "Enter." I sighed, pushing the door open and stepping through. I really did _not_ want to be there. No, I was still pretty saddened by my fall-out with Darcy and the rest of Friction, our dance team. I hadn't spoken with any of them since the fight, not even Tyler. Things had changed.

Snape was waiting for me, standing in front of his desk. "Miss Nouvelli," he said stiffly.

I nodded. "Professor."

He leaned back against his desk, gesturing for me to sit across from him. "Today, we shall begin working with your... unique skills."

I slipped onto one of the desks in front of him. "Okay," I said, swinging my feet. "Which one?"

He blinked. 'Well, which would you prefer we start with?"

I scoffed. "You mean you don't have some kind of a plan?"

"Don't be daft!" he snapped. "You act as if I've done this before. It's not as though your... situation is a daily occurrence."

"So we're just winging it?"

"Not at all," he hissed. "Need I remind you that I'm a rather advanced wizard. I'm sure I can find _some_ way to see inside that addled mind of yours and to figure out how best to assist you in controlling what should be basic functions."

I shook my head, bringing my face up as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Not tonight, Professor. It's been a long week, and I really don't need your quips right now."

"Oh well, of course," he sneered. "Let me just oblige your inane request." I didn't respond though, and the silence stretched between us. I think he realized that I wasn't kidding when I'd said I wasn't in the mood, because in a moment, he spoke again. "What power are you most comfortable with?"

I shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Probably the clairvoyance thing."

He nodded sharply. "Then we'll start there." He pushed his body upright, moving silently around to the other side of his desk, where he sat down and grabbed a quill, dabbing it in ink before he spoke again. "Tell me about it."

I blinked. He wasn't asking me about my problems, was he? "About what?"

He rolled his eyes. "Your _power_."

"Oh. Um... Well it's... Unique."

He scoffed. "A five year old could have told me that, Miss Nouvelli. Kindly stray towards more useful adjectives, if you will."

"Well... I don't know. I can see the future. What else is there to know?" I asked, using my left hand to brush my bangs from my eyes.

He sighed, annoyed by my apparent stupidity. "Do you initiate the visions?"

I shook my head. "No. Well..." I reconsidered briefly, before nodding. "Sometimes."

"Explain."

"Some of my visions just hit me, you know? Out of the blue, totally unexpected, mostly during inopportune moments. I have no control over them, over what they show me... Other times, I can force the visions on. Then, it's a lot easier to deal with. I can stop them whenever I need to, and I can learn whatever I want."

"So you could potentially coerce a vision about your life in twenty years?" Snape asked, his eyebrows raised.

I shook my head. "No, it doesn't work that way. It's... How can I explain this? It's as if it's Christmas Eve. And I'm lying awake at night in bed, desperate to find out what I got for Christmas. Well, I could peer into the future and watch as I open my presents, thus knowing early."

Snape nodded once. "Go on."

"Now say it's a few weeks before Christmas, and I want to know what my friend will by for me. I could _try_ and look into the future to see, but it would be futile."

"And why is that?"

"The variables," I said simply. "It's all about the variables. In the first scenario, there's only one variable: how I react when I open my presents. Everything else is set in stone. When I open my presents, the number of presents I have, even the presents in and of themselves. By Christmas Eve, the night before the event, nothing will change. Thus, there is only one variable, and it's easy to control."

Snape considered for a moment. "That's very... Logical. What about the second scenario?"

"In the second sequence, there are too many variables. Too many things can change: The day my friend goes shopping, the stores they go in to, the type of gift they want to buy me, the colors they think I'll like best... In that story, the only constant is that they're getting me a present, and even that could change, if we have some big fight."

"So your visions are sorely limited to events you are knowledgeable about," Snape mused. "Unless, of course, your visions completely blindside you."

I made a face. "Well that's one way to put it."

Abruptly, he stood, setting his quill down. "Leave now. I have a lot to ponder before our next meeting."

I stood, giving him an amused look. "Like what?"

"Like exactly how you're going to learn to see past the variables."

* * *

"Horrible," I muttered into the pillow. "That's the only way to describe it. Horrible, terrible, awful, dreadful-"

"I thought horrible was the only word that would suffice," Bill said with a light laugh as he traced circles with his fingers onto my bare back.

"Yeah, well, I thought up some new adjectives." I rolled over onto my side, facing my lover. "Darcy was just so... mean. I couldn't believe it. She's normally so docile and it was... weird. And scary. And horrible."

"Terrible," he teased with a grin.

I gave him a small shove. "Not funny," I said. But a small smile was already blooming on my face.

"I know something that will cheer you up," he said with an even larger grin.

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Your birthday is in a few days, isn't it?"

I groaned. "I'd hoped you'd forgotten about that!"

"Why, in the name of Merlin, would you want me to forget your birthday?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

I shrugged as best as I could while lying down. "I don't know. I guess I just don't like all of the fanfare, you know? All the hype... It's not that big of a deal. I'll just be turning seventeen-"

"Seventeen!" Bill said with excitement. "That's right. You'll be an adult. You'll be able to do magic outside of school!"

"So?"

"So, most students would be overjoyed to have their birthday right around the corner," he said, nudging me with his shoulder.

"Well, I'm not like most students, am I?"

He grinned. "Nope."

I laughed, giving him a quick kiss. "You'll just have to give me my present on my birthday next Friday when I see you again." For a fraction of a second, his face held panic, and worry shot through me. There it was again. Something was wrong. That same look he'd had in his eye when he told me I had to leave so he could get up early was back... "What?"

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm working late on Friday. I know, it's horrible timing, being your birthday and all, but I can't see you-"

I cut him off. "No," I said slowly. "It's okay. I'm... I'll be fine. We'll just have to celebrate in two weeks."

He smiled softly, that shifty look still in his eyes. "Yes. Of course."

* * *

A feeling of trepidation ran through me as I approached the Great Hall on December 1st, my birthday. I still remembered the events of the previous year, and while I _did_ enjoy being celebrated by my friends, I wasn't in a very cheerful mood. What with Darcy and Bill, a party didn't really seem like fun.

However, my classmates were enthusiastic, just like they were with Ginny's and Angelina's birthdays. The merriment extended into the common room later that night, and presents were exchanged.

"New shoes," I said with a laugh as I opened Ginny's gift, a glass of pumpkin juice in my hand. "Is this going to be a tradition of ours? Buying each other shoes?"

"Well, it's not something I'd be opposed to," she chuckled.

"Hear, hear," I said, reaching over to give her a hug. "Hey. Where did Harry go?"

"Oh, he stepped out a little while ago," Fred said with a grin, reaching forward to pass me a gift. "Now go on. Open it." I gave the package a funny look, using caution as I pulled at the ribbon. Fred scowled. "It won't bite, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Says you." A pile of chocolate frogs met my line of sight, and I smiled. "I could always use some more chocolate-" I broke off, raising an eyebrow at the twins. "You didn't do anything to them, did you?"

George scoffed. "Well I'm insulted!"

Fred nodded in agreement. "Enraged!"

"Angered!"

"Annoyed!"

"Affronted!"

"Irritated!"

"Exasper-"

"Oh, come off it, you two!" a voice from behind me spoke.

My ears pricked up; I knew that voice. I turned with a start, surprise coloring my face. "Bill?"

There he stood, his eyes soft as he smiled down at me. Harry stood besides him, an amused grin overtaking his features as he slyly slipped his invisibility cloak back into his bag. "Happy birthday," he mouthed.

He had actually snuck Bill into the castle for me. I laughed, giving him a nod of thanks before turning back to Bill, a wide grin on my face. "What are you doing here? I thought you had to work late!"

"Come now, Avery," he said, stepping closer to me. "How could I miss your birthday? You didn't _honestly _believe I'd make you celebrate it alone, did you?"

In response, I slipped my hands around his neck, bringing my face inches from his own. _This _was how it was supposed to be. _This_ was right. _This _was the Bill I knew. "Silly me," I whispered, before closing the gap between us.

* * *

"What we are attempting to do here tonight is gauge the depth with which you can view the future," Snape told me a few nights later as he sat before me. His classroom had been magically altered, the rows and rows of brewing stations replaced with a single table with two plush chairs across from one another. He leaned back in his chair. "It is, essentially, an evaluation. We'll see how far you can see without it becoming overwhelming, and how easy it is for you to access the future."

I couldn't take it anymore. "Potential future," I interrupted. "Not future. Potential future. It's not set in stone, you know."

A scowl broke out onto his face. "Yes, well excuse me for not feeling the need to state facts that you already knew. I was _attempting_ to make this as short and pain-free as possible, though it seems as if you want to counteract this."

"Hey! If _I_ chose to leave out an obvious detail in an essay, you'd mark me down for it-"

"Haven't you ever heard, Miss Nouvelli, that double standards are a part of life?" He raised an eyebrow at me, waiting for my response, but all I did was glare. "As I was saying, we shall test your abilities. Now then. Are you ready to begin?"

"Sure. Why not?"

His jaw twitched, but he didn't comment on my lack of enthusiasm. "Take a deep breath," he said, his voice suddenly becoming softer. "Calm yourself and breathe slowly."

I did as he asked, listening to the gentle tone of his voice as I realized that this was his way of being _nice_. I couldn't recall any other time when he'd ever been nice to me before. It was startling, and a little scary.

"Now then," Snape whispered. "I've charmed a ball to drop at a precise time. Tell me-"

The time flashed before my eyes. "9:04," I said without hesitation.

He nodded. "Good," he remarked, and again I was put off balance. I think that was the first time I'd ever received anything _resembling_ praise from him. Weird... "Can you tell me about the weather tomorrow?"

Again, the vision appeared before me. "Snow, of course. Though it will be sunny by late afternoon."

He nodded again, grabbing his quill and making a quick note. "The potion we will be brewing in class on Thursday is-"

"A memory potion," I responded, squinting a little as my vision blurred. "I don't know the name of it, but that could be because it's in Greek, or Italian, or some other language I don't read-"

"Latin, actually," he said. "What about this summer? Where am I staying?"

The world before me spun as I searched through the future. Different towns slid into my view, and nausea began to creep up inside me. After a moment, I shook my head. "I don't know. Either... Either you haven't made up your mind yet, or there are too many variables for me to tell."

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes narrowing. "interesting." Another note on on the parchment before him, and then, "What will be the outcome of the next Quidditch match?"

I chuckled. "Why? Want to place a bet?"

His lips twitched, but all he said was, "Just answer the question."

* * *

I'm not sure if it's because my senses were heightened due to Snape's drills, of if the vision would have gotten through to me anyhow, but later that night, I was assaulted by a strong premonition...

_"How was dinner last night? The boss give you any trouble?" Bill asked as he pushed some cart, a look of amusement in his eyes._

_A light laugh sounded from his left, and Fleur stepped into my vision. "No more zan usual. Which, as you know, iz not so bad."_

_Bill scoffed. "Depends on who you're asking."_

_But she just laughed again. "Well, 'e knows you are zere to look out for me. I 'ave nothing to worry about."_

_His face softened. "No. Nothing."_

I blinked as I came out of it, a deep breath getting caught in my throat at the implications of the vision. He had lied to me. He... I thought back, remembering a conversation we'd had a few weeks ago.

_"Does Fleur still need help with English?"_

_"No," he said sharply, rolling out of bed. "I never see her."_

If he never saw her, then why were they so cozy in my vision?

I leaned back against the headboard of my bed, shock coursing through me as a startled cry slipped through my lips. Something was horribly wrong. He was falling from my grasp and I couldn't shake the feeling that really, I'd lost him long ago.

* * *

So here you go! The next chapter will be at least just as long, if not longer, but I'm really looking forward to writing it. To summarize what happens: Everything goes to hell. It should be fun, lol.

If you have some free time on your hands (note the shameless self-plug), go and read my Ron/Hermione story Slippery, or, if you're a Snape fan, my oneshot A Serpentine Style. Don't forget to review; it would really mean a lot to me!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: hiphophottie, SerbiaTakesCntrl, GumiBearOnAShortBus, and julieakaweirdo. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	12. The Slippery Snake

_Previously..._

_I blinked as I came out of it, a deep breath getting caught in my throat at the implications of the vision. He had lied to me. He... I thought back, remembering a conversation we'd had a few weeks ago._

"Does Fleur still need help with English?"

"No," he said sharply, rolling out of bed. "I never see her."

_If he never saw her, then why were they so cozy in my vision?_

_I leaned back against the headboard of my bed, shock coursing through me as a startled cry slipped through my lips. Something was horribly wrong. He was falling from my grasp and I couldn't shake the feeling that really, I'd lost him long ago._

_

* * *

_

A few weeks before Christmas found everyone in a tizzy. The holidays were fast approaching, and plans were being made. People would be returning home, spending time with their families. Ron would go back to Grimmauld Place, and Hermione would visit her parents. Harry and I, on the other hand, would be staying at Hogwarts.

At least, that's what we'd thought.

"Well of course you two are staying with us," Ron snorted one night at dinner, waving his fork around. "Why wouldn't you be?"

I suppose being invited to stay with the Weasleys was a good thing; Merlin only knew that I couldn't go home. What with Darcy, Tyler, and Anderson... I couldn't stand to face them all. It would have been too much.

On the other hand, I wasn't entirely sure I could stomach being at the Weasley's either. My last vision concerning Bill had perturbed me greatly, and I was terrified to know why he was lying to me. Was he afraid I'd be mad that he spent so much time with Fleur? Jealous? Or... Was he cheating on me?

The thought was too dismal for me to truly comprehend. I really liked Bill, nay, I almost _loved_ him. But was I just not good enough? Was he unsatisfied with me as a girlfriend, a lover, a confidant?

The feelings of self-doubt intensified even more so when one of my older premonitions came true at long last, the dismal letter arriving by owl early one Friday morning...

The letter crinkled in my hand, the words swimming together before my eyes. How could this be? Why... Why would he do this? It didn't make any sense, not with what I knew... I glanced down at the words again.

_Sorry, Avery. I can't see you tonight. I have to work late. Maybe some other time._

_-Bill_

Fear flowed through me as I looked up. What if I was right? What if... What if...

What if he was unfaithful to me?

The day drew to a close, night falling on Hogwarts as Harry, Ron, and Hermione slipped under the invisibility cloak, motioning for me to follow them out the portrait hole and to the last DA meeting before Christmas break.

I just shook my head. "I think I'll sit this one out," I said slowly. I couldn't face all of those people with Bill on my mind. "You guys go on. Have fun."

Hermione frowned, concerned by my reaction, but Harry just shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, before pulling the other two out after him.

Alone in the common room, it didn't take long for my thoughts to catch up with me. How could Bill be so casual? He was so sweet, so good to me at my birthday, and yet...

Was he with Fleur right now? Is that why he broke our date? Did he love her? Or did he really have to work late? Suddenly, I stood up and let my body dissolve into the shadows. I had to know. I couldn't just sit here. I had to see it with my own eyes. I needed to know.

With a deep breath, I drifted over to the portrait hole, pushing my way through the opening, and out into the night.

* * *

I sped along the night, hurrying through Hogsmeade as I crept closer and closer to Bill's flat. What would I find there? What did I _want _to find there? Would it be better to find him with... her? Or to not find him at all, thus leaving me with some hope that he was being honest, that he really had to work...

His flat was in sight, a light on in the bedroom. I slowed down, fear rising up in me as I felt a premonition coming on. _No_, I thought, fighting it off. _It can't be._ I glanced around as I moved closer to the building. Upon seeing no one, I solidified, taking on human form again as opposed to the shadowy one I'd previously possessed. Slowly, I moved up to the window, holding my breath as I leaned up to peer inside.

There he was, a bottle of firewhiskey by his bed as he lounged, watching Fleur as she knelt over him, running her hands over his bare chest...

A startled cry escaped me, as I shrank back, pulling away from the window. He was cheating on me. He really, truly was being unfaithful. I stumbled backwards as my emotions began to fly out of control. How could he do this? Why... Why would he hurt me like this? I thought he'd loved me. I thought I'd loved him...

I felt the need to cry, the need to release all of the sorrow unto the world, but the tears wouldn't come. I just kept standing there, staring at that flat, the flat that he'd originally purchased so he could be closer to me, until my vision finally started to blur...

_The snake lunged, digging its fangs deeply into the red-haired man's chest. His face was shrouded from view by the shadows. The snake reared back once more, hissing before striking again as the sliver cloak fell from around his shoulders, a cry of pain coming from his mouth._

_The snake struck a third time, plunging its fangs into the man's shoulder as blood began to flow, the reddish brown mixture tinged with the silvery hue of poison as the man fell backwards, his face finally coming into view as he fell unconscious..._

I blinked, returning from the vision as I faintly heard Bill moan off in the distance. He was cheating on me- But a moment later, I shook the thought away. No. I couldn't think about that now. The snake, the man... It had been Ron's dad. Bill's dad. The father of that promiscuous bastard- No. The father of one of my best friends was about to die.

I shook my head. I needed to pull it together. Arthur Weasley needed me. Ron and Ginny needed me. I couldn't think about Bill, not yet, anyway. I had to warn the headmaster. And so I changed, quickly becoming a shadow once more as I raced back towards the castle.

* * *

I darted around the gargoyle that blocked the entrance to the Headmaster's chambers as I flew up the stairs, racing to get to his office in time-

I solidified, throwing open the door as I dashed into the room. "Professor Dumbledore," I said quickly, my voice sounding hollow to my own ears. "Something has happened-" I stopped talking my eyes widening as I took in the scene before me. Professor McGonagall stood with Harry and Ron as Dumbledore sat behind his desk. Harry looked ashen, almost scared, and my breath caught in my throat. "Oh God," I muttered. "Am I too late?"

Harry stepped towards me. "So you saw it too?"

I opened my mouth, unsure of how to respond. "Isn't that my line?"

All of a sudden, a painting slid into his portrait, panting a bit. "He was found, Albus. He's covered in blood, but he is breathing. They're taking him to St. Mungo's now, but it doesn't look good-"

"Thank you," Dumbledore said, cutting him off as Ron collapsed into a chair. "Minerva, please go and fetch the other Weasley children."

"Of course," she muttered as she made her way towards the door. Dumbledore, meanwhile, stood and began to converse with one of the portraits.

"So Harry had a vision too?" I asked, trying desperately to clear things up. I turned to him. "You saw the snake attack?"

"Yes," he said quietly. "I saw-" he stopped talking, giving me an odd look. "Wait a moment. If you had a vision... Why didn't you come here sooner?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You can travel faster than we can. Why did we get here before you did?" he asked, his face still pale.

"Oh, I was... out of the castle," I murmured. _Don't think about Bill, you can't think about him now_. "I had farther to go."

The door opened once more, and in came Fred, George, and Ginny, each in pajamas and bathrobes as they followed McGonagall into the room. "Harry? Ron?" Ginny asked, coming to stand besides him. "Avery? What's going on?"

"Your father was doing work for the Order this evening and he was injured," Dumbledore said simply. "He is at St. Mungo's right now, receiving treatment, and we shall know more shortly. However, I am sending you all back to Grimmauld Place for the time being."

George stuttered. "But dad-"

"Is in the best hands he could possibly be in. You will be taking a Portkey once I'm sure the coast is-" he was cut off as a flash lit up the room, an ember feather fluttering to the table before Dumbledore. He glanced up sharply at Minerva. "Dolores knows they're out of bed. Head her off. Tell her anything, just give us more time."

She left quickly, as behind Dumbledore, another painting slid back into its portrait hole. "Black says they're all welcome to come over, though why he'd allow some of these children into the manor, I don't know."

"Thank you, Phineas," he said before quickly turning to us. "Hurry now. Hold on to this-" he shoved a black kettle in our direction. "On three then. One, two, three!"

A jerk pulled at my navel, lifting me up and out of the room as we traveled, leaving Dumbledore's office and flying, flying... With a _thud_ we landed on the floor of Grimmauld Place's sitting room sprawled unceremoniously in a heap. "Ow," Ginny muttered.

"Harry!" a gruff voice called out as a large hand reached down to pull the Boy Who Lived to his feet. "Are you all right? What's going on? Phineas said Arthur was hurt-"

Fred helped me to my feet as Sirius reached out a hand to Ginny. "We don't know either," Fred said. "Harry... What happened?"

"I had a... vision," he said, biting his lip.

I smiled at him in sympathy. I knew how he felt, having to share visions, sometimes painful ones, with others. Visions like the one that led me to Bill- I cut off the train of thought, shaking my head at myself as Harry recounted the story. I couldn't think of him yet. Later. I had to wait until later. I was needed now.

"Let's move this into the kitchen," Sirius said suddenly. "I'll make up some tea."

"No time," Ginny said impatiently. "We need to get to St. Mungo's."

Sirius looked taken aback for a moment. "I'm sorry, what? You want to go traipsing around London in the middle of the night with Death Eaters on the loose? Are you mad?"

"We have to see our dad!" Fred demanded.

Sirius scowled. "You aren't supposed to know he's been attacked, yet."

"We'll risk it."

"No, you won't! You can't endanger the Order like this!" He ran a hand through his hair. "Now let's go into the kitchen. I'll make us some drinks, yes?"

There was a pause as the twins glared at him before they moved, stepping slowly towards the kitchen with Ginny and Ron following behind them. Harry went next, leaving me and Sirius to bring up the rear. "Merlin," he muttered.

"You might want to forgo the tea," I whispered. "Try some liquor instead. Butterbeer. Maybe Firewhiskey."

"I'm starting to agree with you there."

We congregated in the kitchen, drinking silently as we waited together. Harry appeared lost in thought, sitting in his own corner as the Weasley's huddled together, providing silent comfort to each other. Sirius appeared to be busying himself with cleaning, scrubbing the dishes by hand instead of doing it by magic.

I desperately wished that Hermione was there. I needed her there with me, so I could talk to her. I needed her so badly... Left alone, my thoughts kept straying towards Bill, and I couldn't do that, not now. He didn't want me. I needed to stay strong for Ron and Fred, for George and Ginny, and for Harry...

The front door slammed, and we all sat up to alert as footsteps made their way quickly into the kitchen. "Hello?" a voice called out. My breath caught in my throat. No. It couldn't be. _Not now_...

Fred jumped to his feet as Bill came into the room. "What's going on? What happened? Is dad-"

"He's still alive. The Healers are working on him now," Bill said, drawing his brother into a hug. His shirt was untucked, and he was wearing his watch on the wrong wrist...

A hush fell over the room as the Weasleys processed his words. "Still alive?" Ron croaked. "As in... As in soon he might not be?"

"I don't know," Bill said in a dejected tone. He hadn't brushed his hair before coming over... "All Mum would tell me was that I needed to come here and keep you all here. I'm going to go back in a few hours, though."

"Assuming dad's still alive," George muttered, his face growing even paler.

Bill said nothing, turning to Harry. "Mum said you were the one to see this and warn us. You and Avery. Thank you, Harry. Thank you so much." He clapped a hand on my friend's shoulder, and my breath caught in my throat. Imprints of Fleur's nails could be seen on his hands. In his haste to get over here, he hadn't bothered to heal them...

"Of course," Harry said softly.

To my horror, Bill turned to me, giving me a weak smile as he reached out. "And you," he said quietly. "Thank you, Avery. So much." He took my hand in his own, the very hand Fleur had been touching...

But I pulled it back. "Stop," I said, with a small shake of my head. "It's no big deal."

"It's a very big deal," he said, taking a step closer to me. He lifted his arms, as if he were going to wrap them around me. "It's a huge deal. Thank-"

"Just stop, Bill." I took another step back. I could feel the eyes of all the Weasleys upon me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sirius frown as Harry moved closer to me. I took a deep breath, trying to hold it together. For them. "Stop."

He frowned, reaching out for me again. "Are you okay, Av-"

"Don't touch me," I blurted out, pushing myself backwards until I was up against the wall.

A blank look crossed his face, before his expression settled into one of hurt. "Avery, what are you doing? What did I do?"

I couldn't stop myself. I knew I was supposed to be sympathetic, to be caring and supportive to the Weasley family right then, but seeing him standing there, acting like he loved me... "It's not a _what_, Bill, it's a _who_."

He blinked in confusion, unsure of what I meant before the lightbulb went on and his mouth dropped open. "I... I'm not sure what you're saying."

"Neither am I," Sirius interjected. "Who? As in 'who he's been doing?' Why would you ask..." he trailed off, comprehension dawning on his features. "Oh," he said simply.

"Fleur's really loud, you know," I said, my voice once again devoid of emotion. "I'm surprised you could tear yourself away from that hellcat for this."

He shut his eyes. "Avery-"

But he was cut off as Fred grabbed his arm, spinning him around. "You're cheating on her?" he demanded.

Ginny covered her mouth with her hand. "Bill."

But he just ignored his family. "Can we talk about this later, Avery? When dad's not... Well-"

"Yeah," I said, walking away from the wall. "Your dad. I should have let him die, just because of you." I stepped past him, away from the bewildered looks of his family. "But that would've hurt my friends. You know, people who actually care about me." The air was becoming too hard to breathe. I was being smothered; I had to get out of there. I spotted the fireplace with the floo powder sitting on top...

"Avery, please-"

"No!" I said, raising my voice for the first time that night. "No, Bill. I'm done." I turned around, grabbing floo powder off of the fireplace mantel and diving into the fire, calling out "The Bauer house," as I flooed away, leaving my friends and my ex-boyfriend staring after me.

* * *

They could follow me, I knew that immediately. So the second I landed, I changed into a shadow, and I sped away, going as fast as I could towards the one place, the one person that could make me feel safe. And wanted. And loved.

And so I hurried along towards the dance studio. I didn't want to be alone, I couldn't be alone, and I prayed that he would be there...

I changed back into human form before I entered the building. With a deep breath, I opened the door and was met with the sounds of Elton John as Darcy leaped, rolling to the ground. I took a shaky breath. That was supposed to be a duet. I was supposed to do that with her...

Tyler spotted me first. Sweat was dripping off of his brow, his skin gleaming in the light. Holding up a hand, he called for rehearsal to stop. Anderson shut off the music, and all eyes fell to me. Darcy stood. "Well, look who the cat dragged in."

I ignored her, sending Ty a pleading look. "I need to talk to you."

He gestured towards the team. "Avery, we're a little busy-"

"It's important."

His eyes widened as he shook his soft hair out of his face. "Did something happen? The war-"

"Everything's fine. But I need to talk to you." I was having trouble breathing, Darcy's glare was earth-shattering and I needed to get out, to leave. "Please, can we go into the back?"

Ty shot a quick look at Darcy. "Yeah, okay. Just for a minute, though."

My old friend rolled her eyes as Ty took my arm, his hands warm and gentle, hurrying me into the back room. He shut the door behind him, and turned to me. He was so close... "What's this ab- Mmm!"

He was cut off as my lips attacked his own. I kissed him hard, grabbing onto his shirt and pulling him to me. God he felt so good, so amazing and gentle-

He pulled back. "Avery, what the hell are you doing?"

I leaned forward again. "Surely you don't need me to answer that."

But he just stepped back. "Are you under some kind of a spell? A potion?"

"Not at all Ty." I reached for him again. "I want you. I know you want me-"

"No, I don't," he stated firmly. My breath caught in my throat. "I'm dating Abby, and I love her. You know this. You have to have known this, so why-"

"Of course I know." I stepped closer. "But I need you right now. Come on. Be with me. Love me. She'll never know."

"I would never do that to her." A bewildered look had settled onto his face. "Dammit, Avery! How could you think that? How could you think I'd hurt the one I love like that? What is wrong with you?"

I swallowed. He didn't want me. Ty didn't want me. _Bill_ didn't want me. Ty was right, if Bill had loved me, had desired me, he never would have been able to sleep with Fleur. I was unwanted. Unloved. I was useless. I took a step back. "Fine," I said quietly. "If you don't want me, I'll fine someone who does."

I opened the door, and stepped out into the hall, hurrying towards the dance floor. "Avery, wait!" Tyler called after me.

Darcy was stretching when I entered the room. She rolled her eyes. "Are you done sabotaging my rehearsal now?"

I ignored her, trying to keep moving, but Ty grabbed my arm. "Wait a minute," he said, spinning me around. "What about Bill."

"What about him," I snapped.

"I thought you loved him-"

"I could never love someone so unfaithful," I spat, jerking my arm away.

Comprehension seemed to dawn on his face as he looked at me. "Oh. Oh, Avery, I'm so sorry-"

"Wait," Darcy said, stepping closer to me. For the first time in awhile, she actually looked concerned... "Bill... Did he cheat on you?"

"Like you care!"

She reached out for me. "Avery-"

But I couldn't handle it. She was too close, and she didn't care. She didn't want me, either. She had kicked me off the team. "Don't touch me!" I screamed, spinning around. But my anger had taken ahold of me, and when I spun, fire flew out away from me, catching the corner of Darcy's hair.

She cried out, smothering the flames with her shirt before her wide eyes found mine. "Avery, what the hell-"

But I was shaking my head. "Just leave me alone," I whispered. The need to run was overpowering me. I had to leave. I shifted into a shadow, disappearing before the eyes of my old friends as Darcy screamed.

It wasn't until I was outside that I remembered something Darcy had told me a few months ago._ So you need to either learn how to deal, or fall apart completely, but this half-assed thing you're doing isn't working for me._ My mind had latched onto that idea, subconsciously trying to warn me of what was to come.

It was then that I knew it was too late. I was already falling apart.

* * *

I slipped back into Grimmauld Place sometime early the next morning. The lights were out, and the doors were shut; everyone was asleep. I wanted to go to the room I shared with Ginny, to curl up in a ball and sleep, but I couldn't. I was afraid of what my dreams would bring. Instead, I paced, moving up and down the halls.

No one wanted me. No one loved me.

"Avery?" I turned, staring rather mechanically at Fred Weasley as he peered at me, a glass of water in his hand. "You're back."

"I am." I licked my lips. "How is your father?"

"Better." He nodded. "Mum dropped by. He's going to be fine."

I smiled falsely. "That's good." I sighed, "Listen, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. You know, about letting your dad die. I didn't mean it-"

"I know. You were just upset. I know you'd never do that." He stepped forward. "Listen, _I'm_ sorry about Bill. I can't believe he did that to you."

I shook my head. "It's okay," I said softly. "I should have seen it coming. No one really wants me-"

"That's not true!"

"Yeah, Fred. It is. It really is." I let out a bark of dry laughter. "Bill doesn't want me. Darcy doesn't want me. Ty doesn't even want me. No one does."

"I do," Fred said, wrapping his arms around me. There was a slight pop, and the glass of water he was holding vanished. "I do, Avery."

I pulled back a bit, gazing up into his face. "Really?"

"Really."

All of a sudden, I was seized by a deep need to prove that his words were true. In one fluid motion, I had leaned forward, kissing him lightly on the lips, before hungrily deepening the kiss. He pulled back. "Avery-"

"Shh," I said, running a hand through his hair. "Don't. Please, don't. I... I need this, Fred."

He swallowed. "But-" I cut him off again, kissing him once more.

"There's an empty room down the hall," I whispered against his lips. "I can sense it. Please, Fred. Make me feel wanted. Make me feel loved."

He looked at me, his brown eyes searching my own as his hand came up to my face. "Okay," he said quietly, grabbing my hand as I led him towards the empty room, silently shutting the door behind us.

* * *

My breathing returned to normal, as I ran my fingers through my hair, my eyes shut. He laid besides me. He was still panting, but not nearly as much as he had been before. His hand travelled its way up my bare arm. "Wow," he muttered.

I opened my eyes at his touch. I couldn't do this. I sat up, pulling away. "I should go," I said, searching in the dark for my clothes.

He sat up as well. "Avery-"

My bra was a lost cause, so I just threw my shirt on without it. "Thanks for everything, Fred." I found my jeans, quickly tugging them on. "Really, I appreciate it."

He scooted across the bed towards me. "Do you want to talk?"

But I was already at the door. "No, I should... Sleep, I guess. I'll... I'll see you tomorrow."

I opened the door and darted out into the hallway, hurrying away from the bedroom and towards the living room. I was breathing heavily by the time I got there. _What have I done?_ I thought, collapsing into a nearby chair. _I just slept with Fred. Oh my god, I slept with Fred!_

My mind was spinning as the harsh light of reality hit me. I'd lost control. I'd let my anger at Bill consume me. The need to feel wanted and loved had overpowered me, and now... "Oh god," I muttered.

My thoughts zoomed back in time as I remembered a conversation I'd had with Bill over the summer. _"I'm impulsive," _I had said, leaning forward a bit._ "When I'm angry or excited... Sometimes I don't think. Sometimes I just do. I react without thinking, and it gets me into a lot of trouble."_

And it had. I had reacted without thinking, and I'd just ruined everything. I had destroyed what little balance my life had. A shuddering breath escaped me, and, for the first time that night, I cried, finally allowing the tears to fall.

* * *

See? I told you _everything_ went to hell! This chapter was a little weird to write, given that it had to be disjointed in order to match her thoughts. Just a quick note about this chapter: the events here are exceptionally important for Avery's development in later chapters, and a certain plot twist that I have in mind. It may seem weird, but there is a method to my madness, I promise!

If you have some free time on your hands (note the shameless self-plug), go and read my Ron/Hermione story Slippery, or, if you're a Snape fan, my oneshot A Serpentine Style. Don't forget to review; it would really mean a lot to me!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: brilliantblonde, SerbiaTakesCntrl, GumiBearOnAShortBus, xxbabyxox, Unconquerable, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	13. The Cursed Christmas

_Previously..._

_I opened the door and darted out into the hallway, hurrying away from the bedroom and towards the living room. I was breathing heavily by the time I got there. What have I done? I thought, collapsing into a nearby chair. _I just slept with Fred. Oh my god, I slept with Fred_!_

_My mind was spinning as the harsh light of reality hit me. I'd lost control. I'd let my anger at Bill consume me. The need to feel wanted and loved had overpowered me, and now... "Oh god," I muttered._

_My thoughts zoomed back in time as I remembered a conversation I'd had with Bill over the summer. "_I'm impulsive," I had said, leaning forward a bit."When I'm angry or excited... Sometimes I don't think. Sometimes I just do. I react without thinking, and it gets me into a lot of trouble."

_And it had. I had reacted without thinking, and I'd just ruined everything. I had destroyed what little balance my life had. A shuddering breath escaped me, and, for the first time that night, I cried, finally allowing the tears to fall._

_

* * *

_

I woke late the next morning, my eyes red and my back sore from sleeping on the living room couch. It had taken me hours to fall asleep the previous night, and as I cracked my neck, I remembered why.

"Oh god," I muttered, as my memories came flooding back to me. Bill. Tyler. Fred. Oh, Fred. I rubbed my forehead, sighing as I squeezed my eyes shut. What had I done? "Shit."

"That's hardly ladylike, you know."

I spun, hastily looking over my shoulder as in the back of my mind I realized that I still wasn't wearing a bra. Sirius stood there, a bemused look on his face. "Oh," I said, giving him a slight nod. "Hi, Sirius."

"Hello." He raised an eyebrow at me. "You came back quite late last night. We were all asleep."

"Oh, I know. Sorry about that," I said, standing. I couldn't meet his eyes. I had to get away...

"You know, it's been my experience that couches are less comfortable to sleep on than beds," he stated.

"I know, I... didn't want to wake Ginny," I improvised.

"I see." He gave me an appraising look, almost as if he was studying me for honesty. "Are you all right?"

"Never better," I lied.

"I could believe you," he said, tilting his head to the side as he moved around the side of the couch. "Or, I could ask for a more forthright answer."

But I just gave him a rueful smile. "Where is everyone?"

"Still asleep."

"Thanks. I think I'll go to bed now." I sidestepped him, moving to go around.

He shook his head, letting me pass. "When you're ready to talk, you know where to find me."

Yeah right. When I was ready to talk, it most certainly wasn't going to be with him. As much as I liked Sirius, he wasn't exactly the warm and fuzzy type. If I very felt the need to relate my problems unto someone else, it would most definitely _not_ be him.

I sighed to myself as I headed up the staircase. My problems. Boy, were they getting bigger and bigger. It wasn't enough for me to be failing Divination, or to have, an admittedly cordial, Snape as my private tutor. No, I also had to have feuding friends, a cheating boyfriend, and a raging lunatic after my newest friend. And then there was Fred.

Honestly, I didn't know what the _hell_ I was thinking. _Sleeping with Fred_? Was I possessed? Under a spell? Did I have a legitimate moment of insanity? How could I do something like that? He was Ginny's brother! He was also, unfortunately, the Cheating Bastard's brother. Maybe that's why I'd been drawn to him-

But no, that couldn't have been it. I had tried to sleep with Ty before. Why would I do _that_? I hadn't spoken to him in weeks, and he had a girlfriend. Was I trying to hurt Abby the way Bill had hurt me? Was I trying to prove that all men were scumbags?

Or was I really going insane?

One thing I _was_ sure of, was that it could never happen again. Fred and I weren't meant to be together; we were just friends. I didn't want to jeopardize that. But it was too late. Things were already changing. I sighed again. _Maybe if I just avoided Fred_, I thought, _we could pretend like it never happened_.

I snorted to myself. Yeah. That would work.

Reaching forward, I twisted the doorknob, entering into the room I'd previously shared with Ginny and Hermione. Someone had fetched my trunk during the night, and it rested at the foot of my bed. Ginny herself was lying comfortably in her own bed, her head propped up by her elbow as she gave me a guarded look. "Hey," she said.

"Hey." I wanted to groan. I couldn't take another inquisition. I was too emotionally drained; another one would just be too much. "I think I'm going to sleep now, so..."

She sat up. "Of course. I'll get out of your way." She hesitated a bit, before speaking. "I'm sorry about my brother."

"It's okay," I said, heading towards the bed. "I'm sorry about your dad."

"My dad will be fine," she said softly. She paused, spinning around to rest her feet on the floor. "He's an idiot, you know."

I raised an eyebrow. "Your dad?"

"Bill."

"Ah." I pulled back the covers. "Thanks."

"I'm worried about you," she confessed as she stood. "Last night, when you disappeared-"

"I'm fine."

"Where did you go, Avery?" she asked, biting her lower lip.

I swallowed. "Home."

A look of relief crossed her face as I slid under the covers. "Oh. Good. Sorry, I just... I wanted to make sure you didn't do anything... Stupid. You know, given your disposition-"

"I get it," I said holding up my hand. "Don't worry. I didn't." _Lies_. "Now if you don't mind-"

"No problem," she said, making her way to the door. "I'll talk to you later."

I laid back down on the pillow, waiting until the _click _of the door sounded to let the tears fall once more.

* * *

The sun was high up in the azure colored sky by the time I awoke again. The room was still empty; Ginny hadn't come back to it since she'd left. With a yawn, I sat up, climbing out of bed and stumbling towards my trunk.

What was I going to do? I could hardly sit in my room all day. But did I really want to face everyone? Ginny, Harry, Ron... Fred. And Bill, oh god. What if Bill was there?

My stomach grumbled, and it was with a start that I realized I hadn't eaten in almost a day. I sighed as I leaned down, opening my trunk. I needed to eat. Maybe if I was quick, I could get in and out of the kitchen before anyone noticed.

I changed swiftly, pulling on a black sweater and jeans before I left the room, my bare feet padding softly against the plush carpet. Silence surrounded me. _So far so good,_ I thought. _Maybe everyone's in the living room_.

I pushed on the door to the kitchen, entering to find Sirius seated at the table, the Daily Prophet in his hands as he sipped some tea. I mentally cursed to myself. _So much for being alone_.

"Hey," I said, my heart rate increasing as I entered the room.

"Good morning again," he said, setting his cup down. "The tea kettle is on the stove, if you want some."

"I think I'll pass," I threw over my shoulder as I headed for the coffee pot I'd purchased over the summer. "Where is everyone?"

"Visiting Arthur," he said. "Ron wanted you to come along, but Ginny thought you needed to sleep."

"Thank her for me," I said simply as I poured coffee into the filter.

He took another sip of his tea. "How are you holding up?'

"I'm fine. I wish people would stop asking me that," I grumbled.

"And I wish you would stop lying to me," Sirius said with a chuckle. "Apparently, we don't always get what we want."

"I said I was fine." The coffee maker _dinged_, and I grabbed a cup from the cupboard. "What more do you want?"

"You can't possibly be all right, Avery. Bill-"

"Cheated on me. I know. I was there." I grabbed the pot, pouring myself a cup. "I'm over it. I'm just glad I found out now that he didn't care about me, rather then five years down the line when I'm waiting for him to propose."

I turned around to see Sirius shaking his head. "You can't be over it. It _just_ happened. Merlin, you had a breakdown last night-"

"And I've recovered," I said sharply. _No,_ a little voice in the back of my mind argued. _You really haven't._ "I don't care anymore."

"See, that's what I'm afraid of. If you don't care, you're going to have no reason to... be prudent. Successful. To try and live to the best of your abilities. You'll do something stupid-"

"Too late for that," I said, before I could fully comprehend what I was saying. I bit my lip. Shit.

His eyes narrowed. "What did you do."

"Nothing."

"Avery-"

"Really, it's nothing. At least, it's nothing I want to ponder... Or I'd ever thought I'd do, really," I mused, taking a sip of my coffee.

His eyebrows rose. "Explain."

I sighed. Why not? It's not like he needed to know the details. "Last night... I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was... Maybe the whole drama with the Cheating Bastard messed with me, or maybe I was just slowly going insane, but what I did... I never thought... I never wanted to..."

"Your judgement was compromised by emotional distress," Sirius reasoned.

"Yes and no. At first, when I confronted... him, well I was distraught. But as the night wore on... Looking back on it, I seemed to have gone mad. I was crazy and what I did... It wasn't me. I don't know who it was, but it wasn't me."

Sirius nodded. "Any chance you're going to _tell_ me what you did?"

"Never."

He blinked before going back to his paper. "Then I suppose we'll have to keep an eye on you. Make sure you don't lose yourself again."

I groaned. Great. Now I was going to be watched. This was what I get for sharing my feelings.

* * *

"So Harry's being possessed," I said thoughtfully later that evening as Ron, Ginny, and I sat together in the library. "And now he won't come out of his room."

"You'd think he'd want to talk about it," Ginny grumbled.

"Are you kidding? Locking himself in his room like that is incredibly reasonable. He probably doesn't want to hurt you guys." _Or do anything else that's stupid and regrettable,_ I thought. _He's doing just what I did._

"Talking about Harry, are we?" George asked as he entered the room, Fred trailing after him. I took in a deep breath as my eyes locked with the redhead's, his expression unreadable. "What do you reckon we should do?"

He wouldn't look away, his eyes were still trained on mine. They were going to notice, they would find out... I jumped to my feet. "I'm going to go take a shower," I said quickly, ignoring the surprised looks of my friends as I hurried from the room.

* * *

Hermione arrived at Grimmauld Place the next day, but I wasn't aware of that until hours later. Mid-afternoon, as I was reading a supplementary text on Potions, there was a knock at my door. "Come in," I said without thinking, believing it to be Ginny.

A moment later, I heard her soft voice as she shut the door behind her. "I heard about Bill. I'm so sorry, Avery." I was surprised to hear her voice; I hadn't known she was coming for Christmas.

I glanced up, my eyes blank. I was so sick of people apologizing for Bill. "Thanks."

She sat on the edge of my bed. "How are you doing?"

"Peachy," I muttered without looking up.

She nodded to herself. "All right, so you don't want to talk. That's fine. Listen, Ginny, Ron and I are going to speak to Harry now. Do you want to-"

"I think I'll pass," I said quickly, turning the page in my book.

She paused. "Okay. I guess I'll see you later, then."

"I guess you will."

She stood, her footsteps echoing off the floor as she opened the door, shutting it behind her with a soft _click_. I let out a breath as I shut my eyes. I was driving everyone away from me. I was going to lose them all. But I couldn't help it. I needed to be alone.

* * *

Whatever the three of them had said to Harry must have worked, because the next day he was palling around with Sirius, decorating the house for Christmas, and singing carols with Ron. I could hear them all the way from the room I was staying in.

Hermione didn't try and talk to me about Bill again, but she and Ginny did spend a lot more time sending furtive glances my way, as if they were watching for some sign of a breakdown.

Christmas Eve was a jolly affair, filled with eggnog and merriment, but I shied away from it all, choosing to stay in my room instead. I didn't want to be out there when Fred was around, when Bill might drop by...

Hermione came up to the room later that night, a couple of bottles in her hands. "Here," she said, shoving them at me.

I took them, my eyebrows raising in surprise. "Firewhiskey? Isn't that a little strong for you?"

She ignored me. "Go back to your hometown, meet with your wizard friend, and get bloody drunk. Talk to him, have a good cry, and face your feelings. Wallow."

My eyes narrowed. "I'm fine."

"You're not. Go talk to him."

I shook my head. "I can't... I can't go back there. We're fighting." _Or something, _I thought. I wasn't entirely sure what accidentally throwing fire at him meant for our friendship. Or what trying to seduce him meant in general.

She sighed. "Fine. Then I'll sit here with you while you get drunk, and we'll talk."

"Hermione-"

"This isn't good for you, Avery. You need to let it all out. You need to talk to us. If not me, then Ginny-"

"Oh sure," I said sarcastically. "Let me tell her exactly what I think of her brother."

"She's not talking to him right now," Hermione said with raised eyebrows. "Nor is Ron, in case you're wondering. I think you can trust them-"

"There's nothing to talk about."

She shook her head, standing up. "Fine, then. You can just sit here in self-pity. When you're ready, you know where to find me."

* * *

I slept in later than usual on Christmas morning, and was only woken by Ginny shaking me and asking if I wanted to come with them to visit her dad. I had just blinked tiredly back at her. "I think I'll pass," I muttered. I didn't want to risk seeing Bill...

I wasn't too interested in seeing what I'd received for Christmas, it didn't really matter. Material goods were nice, and all, but what was the point if you had no one to share them with?

I waited until I was sure they were gone, and then I got dressed and stumbled downstairs for breakfast, meeting Sirius in the kitchen. "Hello again," I said with a small smile.

"Hey, now. Where's that Christmas spirit?" Sirius asked with a chuckle.

"At the bottom of that coffee pot," I said, a tiny laugh escaping me. A small sort of friendship had built up between Sirius and myself over the past few days, and we were steadily becoming closer.

"Sorry, we're all out of coffee, Avery. You're going to have to go without your usual caffeine fix," he said with a wolfish grin.

I sent a mock glare his way. "You're cruel."

"Not cruel. Amused," he corrected.

"Says you."

"Oh, don't be bitter! You aren't that nasty substance called coffee. You know I'm-"

The door burst open, and in glided Snape, a sneer on his face. "Where is Mr. Potter?"

I rolled my eyes. "Hello to you too, Professor."

He raised an eyebrow, ignoring me. "Well, Black?"

"He's out, Snape. You'll have to stop by another time."

"I'm not a _dog_, Black," he said, rather pointedly. Sirius growled. "I don't follow anyone's wishes but my own."

"He's not here, _Snape_."

"Pity." His eyes fell on me. "Then I suppose we'll have to train, instead, Miss Nouvelli."

I blanched. "What? No, I'm not prepared-"

"You should _always_ be prepared, Miss Nouvelli, or have you yet to learn anything from me?"

I scoffed. "I'm not in the mood. We'll train later."

"Do you think the Dark Lord cares what kind of _mood_ you're in? I know _I_ certainly don't."

"Snape," Sirius said in a warning tone.

"It's Christmas, Professor. Have a heart." I said, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Oh, well, if that's your plea, then of course," he mocked. "Maybe you just don't want to train because you wish to not prove how worthless you are to Black," he seethed.

I took in a sharp breath. That one had hit a little too close to home. Hadn't I just been pondering how worthless I was a few days ago? About how maybe _that_ was why Bill didn't want me? "Go away Snape," I said, turning away from him.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to train."

"That's a horrible reason," he sneered. "Try again-"

"Leave her alone, Severus," Sirius said softly.

But he ignored him. "What are you hiding, Miss Nouvelli. Why won't you train with me?"

"Because I just caught my boyfriend cheating on me, okay?" I snapped, spinning around to face him. Somehow, my coffee cup had escaped my grasp, falling to the floor and shattering... "Are you happy now?"

He paused, his expression unreadable before he spoke again. "You can't honestly be surprised. He's a _Weasley_."

I snorted in disbelief, anger coursing through my veins. He was unbelievable. How dare he... I wanted so badly to hurt him, to light _him _on fire and never give it a second thought. But I held myself back, shaking my head. "Just leave, Snape."

But to my surprise, he pulled out a chair, a curious look on his face. "I think I'll wait for Potter's return, instead." Sirius groaned.

But I just shook my head. "Fine. Then I'll go." And I hurried from the room, stepping over the broken porcelain and spilt coffee on my way out the door.

* * *

A few nights later, as everyone was eating in the kitchen, there was a knock at my door. I rolled my eyes, thinking that it was Hermione again. "Come in."

However, the voice that met my ears was most definitely _not_ Hermione's. "Hey."

I froze, swallowing before I looked up from my Charms homework. "Hi Fred."

He was leaning awkwardly agains the door, his back straight as he watched me. Finally he moved. "Oh, uh, you left this in that unused bedroom a few nights ago," he said, holding up my missing black bra. "I thought you might want it."

I grimaced, but reached out for it anyway. "Thanks," I said, taking it.

He sighed, almost as if he was relieved that the transaction had gone so smoothly. "You know, Avery, you can stop avoiding me. I understand. You don't want to think about this anymore. You want to forget about it. It's okay."

I bit my lip. "Fred-"

"Really," he interrupted. "I don't expect anything from you. I know that you're hurting. I know you're sad. And I know that what you need, I can't give to you right now. I'm not right for you at the moment. Who knows, maybe I never will be. But you need to find someone to talk to, Avery. If it can't be me, you should go out and find someone." I sat, quietly, looking up at him with wide eyes. He moved his hand towards the doorknob. "Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. I hope that one day, we can be friends again."

He turned the knob, but before he could leave, I stopped him. "Fred," I said softly. "Was that... I mean... Was I your first?"

He hesitated, his back still to me before he answered. "Yes."

And then he was gone.

* * *

Hermione and Ginny found me in our room a few hours later, tears streaming down my face as I held my knees, crying softly. "Avery?" Hermione asked softly, sitting besides me, her hand resting on my back.

_I can't tell them about Fred_, I thought. _Not about what I did to him, about what I took. But Bill..._ I sniffed, looking up at my concerned friends. "I'm ready to talk now," I croaked.

* * *

Here's another chapter! I know that it's shorter than the last one, but I'm currently in the beginning of the college apps process, and I have a lot going on right now. Plus, I felt that this was a good place to stop. You're not going to see the conversation between Hermione, Ginny, and Avery, but it's not incredibly important to the overall plot (and it will be paraphrased next chapter).

Some fun news: We are roughly halfway through this story! Yay! In honor of that, I've decided that out of everyone who reviews this chapter, I will randomly pick one name, and review one of their stories. This is my way of thanking you all for sticking with this for so long!

If you have some free time on your hands (note the shameless self-plug), go and read my Ron/Hermione story Slippery, or, if you're a Snape fan, my oneshot A Serpentine Style. Don't forget to review; it would really mean a lot to me!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter: brilliantblonde, SerbiaTakesCntrl, GumiBearOnAShortBus, lovegoodlover, julieakaweirdo, Invierna, Unconquerable, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	14. Power

_Previously..._

_Hermione and Ginny found me in our room a few hours later, tears streaming down my face as I held my knees, crying softly. "Avery?" Hermione asked softly, sitting besides me, her hand resting on my back._

I can't tell them about Fred, _I thought. _Not about what I did to him, about what I took. But Bill..._ I sniffed, looking up at my concerned friends. "I'm ready to talk now," I croaked._

_

* * *

_

Christmas break soon drew to a close, and before we knew it, the time had come to return to Hogwarts. We were to take something called the Knight Bus, a type of wizarding transportation system that Harry claimed was dreadful.

Sirius appeared to be very distraught over our leaving, probably because he didn't want to be alone again. I would have loved to stay with him, anything to leave reality behind. The idea of returning to the real world was appalling to me, but I had no choice. We had to go.

And so we boarded the Knight Bus with Tonks and Lupin. Our group soon was forced to split up, with the twins and Ron sitting on the top deck beside Lupin, while Tonks, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and I sat below. Harry groaned to himself. "Here we go," he muttered.

Ginny leaned over to whisper in my ear. "You hear from my idiot brother yet?" I shook my head, and she rolled her eyes. "Figures. The daft fool probably hasn't even realized that- umph!"

We flew forward as the bus began to move, toppling over each other as our chairs collapsed. "Is this safe?" I screamed at Tonks.

"Safe? Yes. Comfortable? Never," she responded, and I bit back a groan. It was going to be a long ride.

* * *

I groaned, leaning back in the plush red chair by the fire in Gryffindor tower. "I hate school," I mumbled, as I closed my charms book.

"No you don't," Hermione said cheerfully. "You just hate charms class."

"No, I hate it all. Charms, transfiguration, potions..." Especially potions. Seeing Snape again after having so unceremoniously walked out on him back at Sirius' house was awkward. He had been glaring at me, I had been glaring at him, and I wanted nothing more than to leave the dungeons and never return. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option, given that I had my private lessons with him tomorrow night.

"No, I agree with Avery, Hermione. School is horrible," Ron said with a smile.

While in general, Hermione might have fought back, she just rolled her eyes instead. She didn't argue or try and convince me otherwise, which was unusual, but why soon became apparent to me. She didn't care that, in her mind, I was being blasphemous. She was just glad that I was showing emotion again.

Once I'd broken down in front of Ginny and Hermione, the three of us had spent the whole night talking. I cried and cried, and lamented over how Bill didn't want me. I told the two of them about Tyler and his rejection, and about how I'd accidentally sent fire towards Darcy and Ty.

However, Hermione appeared to be too smart for her own good, because she honed in on something I had told Tyler... "Wait a moment," she had said. "You told that friend of yours that if he didn't want you, you'd find someone else. ...Did you?"

And so after a moment's hesitation, I lied, claiming that I had run into an old friend of mine on my way to the floo, and that after talking for a few moments, I'd, more or less, jumped him. "Oh, Avery," Ginny had whispered. I had cringed at her support. My lie had been too close to the truth for my liking, but what else was I supposed to do? Hermione had caught me in the lie, and I had to fix it.

"It's no big deal," I'd said quickly, but Hermione was already wrapping her arms around me.

"It's a huge deal, Avery. We're here for you. Just remember that, okay? No matter what, remember that we're here for you," she had whispered. I had shuddered into her. She wouldn't be saying that if she learned it was Fred I'd rebounded with...

It was why she was now silent over my hatred for school. Even though she disagreed wholeheartedly with me, she was just glad that I was expressing my feelings.

The portrait swung open, and Harry stepped into the common room. "Hey mate," Ron said with a grin. "Where have you been?"

A dazed look was on the face of Boy Who Lived as he sat down in a chair beside us. "I just asked Cho Chang to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend," he said faintly.

My mouth dropped open. "What?"

He nodded. "I know. I just asked her, and she said yes."

"She said yes," Hermione said with a small laugh. "Of course she said yes. She likes you, Harry."

Ron looked over at her. "Since when?"

"Since ages ago, Ron. Where have you been?"

"Well I'm sorry, Hermione. We can't all have giggle-fests with Cho Chang in the girls bathroom," he snapped.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Please, Ronald. I haven't been talking with Cho. Anyone can tell just by looking at her that she likes Harry. Honestly, use your eyes, Ron."

"Use my- I do!"

As the two of them began to bicker, I turned to Harry. "So, has it been a good day?"

"A good day? It's been a bloody brilliant, amazingly-" he stopped himself, his eyes going wide with horror. "Horrible, horrible day."

I raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"I have Occlumency training with Snape in an hour," he said, burying his head in his hands.

* * *

I spent all day of Saturday alternating between practicing an engorging charm for Flitwick's class and attempting to see into the future for Snape's special training, which I'd begin once more later that night.

In truth, it was the latter that I was the most concerned about. After walking out on him at Grimmauld Place, he was bound to be surly with me, and I really wasn't in the mood to fight with him. So I spent the majority of the day opening and closing my mind to the visions, just as he had requested. Snape's theory was that the more I worked my "clairvoyant muscle," the easier it would be to control my visions.

While Hermione and Harry were studying in the library, and Ron and Ginny were playing Quidditch, I sat in my dorm room, alone, trying to see into the future and keep all thoughts of Bill out of my mind.

I was successful at first. For a few hours, I was able to concentrate on just my magic. But as time went on, the Cheating Bastard keep creeping into my thoughts, his face looming in my vision, right besides Fleur's...

Why? Why did he have to do this to me, to put me in this position? Why couldn't he have been faithful, or, at the very least, broken up with me like a decent human being? Why had he made me the victim, a woman scorned and angered by the lack of fidelity her boyfriend had?

The anger that permeated my body made it hard to concentrate, and before I knew it, I'd stopped using my power altogether, both my mind and body tired from the internal battle I'd fought with myself over whether this was all Bill's fault or mine.

At a quarter to eight, I stood, leaving the room for the first time all day to head down to the dungeons. I was _so_ not looking forward to Snape's lesson, but tI didn't really have a choice. I had to train my magic.

"Enter," he called when I knocked on the door. I let myself in before shutting the door behind me, casting a silencing charm before I turned around once more.

Snape nodded in approval. "You've gotten better," he noted.

"Given how many times you've made me practice, it's not that surprising," I said with a roll of my eyes as I sat down at the same table we'd been using for the last few weeks.

His jaw was tense as he spoke. "Have you been working with your ability?"

It appeared that he wanted to just forget our last meeting had ever happened. Well, that was fine by me; I wanted to forget it too. I nodded. "All day."

He nodded stiffly. "Then let us begin. I will, once again, be asking you a few questions to see what your responses will be-"

"Yeah, I think I know the game plan by now," I said, annoyance creeping up on me. God, I _so_ didn't want to be there... "Can we just start?"

He sat down across from me. "Fine," he said tersely. "Professor Umbridge is currently-"

"Stalking the fourth floor."

"It won't rain again until-"

"Tomorrow. But it will only be a light drizzle. The earliest rain storm is in two weeks," I answered with a slight yawn.

He nodded. "Over the summer, I shall be staying where?"

I sighed, oh great. This question again. I shut my eyes, rubbing my temples as I searched for the answer... "No idea."

He sneered at me. "I have two distinct place in mind, Miss Nouvelli. Surely you can ascertain one of them."

"Nope," I said simply.

He scowled at me. "You aren't trying hard enough."

I snorted. "Yeah, that's it. I'm purposely not trying so I can stay here with you longer. You caught me."

"You have to focus-"

"Easy for you to say," I snapped. God, he was getting on my nerves! What was his problem? Why was he being so cruel? "I kind of have a lot on my mind right now."

"Yes," he scoffed. "The loss of dear Mr. Weasley from your arsenal of playthings. However will you survive?"

My breath caught in my throat. Why would he say that? How could he... He had to stop, immediately. "Shut up."

"Detention, Miss Nouvelli," he responded, a smug smile on his face, as if he was glad he'd been able to goad me into a negative reaction. "Surely you aren't surprised that Mr. Weasley did something obscenely stupid." He needed to stop; I couldn't take it anymore... "It's in his nature, you know. How you couldn't see it, I'll never be sure-"

"I said _stop_," I cried out, flinging my hands out in front of me. Except as they went away from my body, so did a string of fire. But I was past caring. "Stop saying things like that, and telling me all of this crap!"

Snape, meanwhile, had jumped to his feet, and in a few quick strides, had come around to my side of the table. "Miss Nouvelli-"

"And another thing," I said as a second fireball shot out of my hands, barely missing his head. "Who do you think you are, lecturing me like that when you probably haven't had a date in years-"

"Miss Nouvelli!"

"I put up with all of your _crap_ daily, and _this _is the thanks I get? Well you know what, Snape? You can just go to-"

"Avery!" he cried out, grabbing my shoulders. He gave me a quick shake. "Stop this! Stop this right now. Whatever you're doing, whatever's taken hold of you, stop it. This isn't you. This isn't something you'd do. Something's changing you."

I felt as though I'd been violently hit in the stomach as his words sank in. _This isn't me,_ I realized. _Oh my god. What's happening? Why does this keep going on?_ I shut my eyes. "Oh, god," I muttered.

"Look at me," his voice commanded. I opened my eyes to find him staring back at me, leaning over so that he was at eye level with me. "Miss Nouvelli. What is going on?"

I shook my head as, to my horror, I felt my eyes well up with tears. "I don't know," I muttered. "I don't know! This is just like before-"

"Before?" Snape said sharply. "When?"

"The day Mr. Weasley was attacked," I said, as a sole tear slipped down my cheek. I was so tired... "I went back to LA to visit my friends, and I just lost it. It was like I wasn't me. I sent a fireball at Darcy, and then when I got back..." That wasn't me either. Fred? No, I would never do that to him. Not consciously.

"What happened when you returned?" he asked, his eyes boring into mine. I shook my head; I couldn't tell him. I couldn't even tell Hermione. He sighed. _"Legilimens._" I felt a light brush at the tip of my mind, as the scene with Fred passed before my eyes... "Oh," he said at last, blinking. "I see."

My eyes widened. Did he just... "You just went into my mind," I said quietly. He was silent, not bothering to deny my accusations. How dare he! How could he even think that was okay? The anger returned, and before I knew it, I was yelling. "You had no right! That was personal, you bastard! You can't just do that-" Another fireball escaped my hands, but before that could even register with me, I found myself bound to the chair. "Hey!"

"Miss Nouvelli, you need to calm down," he said in that smooth, low voice of his. "I don't know _what's_ gotten into you, but you need to stop this nonsense so we can figure it out, understand?"

I could feel myself calming down again as, with horror, I once again realized that he was right. "Okay," I said softly.

"Now then," he said, conjuring a chair for himself. He sat down, leaning forward slightly so he could continue to peer at me with his endless black eyes. "You lost your... senses twice on that day, and twice today. What are the similarities?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I was pretty tired, I guess, but that's hardly the reason. I've been tired lots of times, and I've never done anything stupid."

"I beg to differ," he muttered. He spoke again, though, before I had a chance to respond. "Well then what's different from all of the other times you have wished to lose your temper?"

I frowned. What was different? "Well," I said slowly. "What's different is that I walked away. Like back at Grimmauld Place, when we were arguing, I wanted to set you ablaze, but I didn't. I walked away."

""Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that," he sneered. "Why?"

"I knew it was a stupid thing to do. But now? I don't know. Throwing fire seemed like a natural response. Hell, it _was_ a natural response. I didn't even know I was doing it, really."

Snape nodded. "So what does that mean?"

"To hell if I know. Do you really expect me to know the answer? Especially since I'm so freaking tired from having practiced all of that Ultimate Power vision crap today? You expect me to think straight?" I snapped.

His eyes locked on mine for a moment as his gaze suddenly intensified. "Your powers... Were you using them a lot the day of Mr. Weasley's attack?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe. Yeah," I said, remembering all of the times I'd turned into a shadow... "Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"I think that's what's causing this," he said quietly, his eyes glazed over, as if he was staring at something else besides me. "It makes sense. Any extreme use of your special magic causes fatigue, which then causes a loss of common sense. You still have control over yourself, but you revert back to your most basic form, only concerned with fulfilling your needs, and not with societal views. As of right now, it appears that using a wand doesn't affect your mental stability, which is good, I suppose..."

"If that's the case, then why haven't I gone crazy before? Why now?"

"The added emotional stress may have lowered your magical threshold. It may have made you more susceptible to the partial insanity."

"Lowered," I pointed out. "That means the threshold, as you call it, was there before. So why have I never activated it? Like last year, when I was with Harry in the graveyard? I sure used my powers a lot that night, and being nearly killed is definitely stressful. Why didn't I lose it then?"

He smirked. "Well if I recall, you passed out. Perhaps the rest healed your body. After Weasley was attacked by the snake and you sent fire at your friend, when did you start to become yourself again?"

I bit my lip. "After... After I slept with Fred. I realized it was a mistake almost immediately-"

"So then relaxation might be the cure to your problem, not rest." Snape mused. "Though relaxation certainly does come with rest... Perhaps we should meditate after every meeting-"

"What, like yoga? Are you serious? And can you untie me now? The ropes are cutting into my wrists." I complained, nodding towards the ropes that still bound me to the chair.

"I'd rather not," he said, standing up. He strode toward a cabinet. "We'll have to tread carefully for now. We don't want to trigger anymore of these... episodes." He pulled a vial from the cabinet and came back to me. "Now, I am going to give this to you. You will go straight back to your dorm, take this, and go to bed. I, meanwhile, will do research in the hope of enlightening us of your ailment further, do you understand?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"You will return here tomorrow evening to aide me in my research, and you will tell _no one_. You will not, in the meantime, use your unique powers, and you are to only minimally use your wand magic. Again, am I clear?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, sir."

He paused, before he waved his hand, releasing the ropes. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

I did exactly as he asked, partially because I was tired, and partially because I didn't want to trigger any more of the insanity. In truth, I was scared. I was literally losing control of myself due to my magic, and we were only guessing as to what would stop it.

While I _was_ a little relieved to know why I'd felt the urge to jump Fred that night at Grimmauld Place, knowing that excesses use of my magic made me susceptible to my every whim was frightening. What would I do if I couldn't control my magic? What would happen if I felt the desire to kill someone?

I didn't say anything to Ginny, Hermione, Ron, or Harry. What with everything else that was going on, I felt that my news might be too much. Harry didn't need the added weight of my insanity to taint his list of dark problems.

So when Hermione asked me to meet up with Harry and some reporter at Hogsmeade, I politely declined. "No, I have work to do," I'd said.

"But this is going to be incredible! It will change the way the world views Harry," she said, her eyes shinning. "Granted, he doesn't know about it yet, but he will soon. You have to come."

"I can't really go to Hogsmeade now, Hermione. I have a lot on my mind."

Her eyes widened as she withdrew. "Oh. Right, sorry. I forgot. You know. About how Bill lives in... It's okay. I'll see you later."

Guilt overcame me as I realized that she believed I didn't want to go with her because I was still depressed about Bill. Had it really only been two weeks since we'd broken up, since I'd caught him cheating on me? Granted, I wasn't over him in any way, but now my love problems seemed trivial, when they were set besides my mental issues.

I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut tightly, wishing that my meeting with Snape was sooner.

* * *

"So what have you learned?" I asked later that night as I stepped into Snape's room.

He quickly warded the door before turning to face me. "Come," he said simply, leading me over to our usual table. "There isn't a lot of literature on the Ultimate Power prophecy, given that it's creation was fairly recent. However, people have been speculating for hundreds of years about magic."

I nodded, sitting down. "Go on."

"There are written reports of people with affinities for animals, for water, for wandless magic. From these accounts, naturally, people began to theorize about just how powerful any witch or wizard could truly be."

He gestured towards a large text in front of me, and I bent over the musky pages. "This," he said. "Is the work of Rowena Ravenclaw." I glanced up in surprise as he nodded. "Yes. A Hogwarts founder did indeed study the extremities of magic, as surprising as that may be," he drawled.

I rolled my eyes. "What does she think?" I asked.

"The passages give an in-depth historical view of magic during the previous millennium. While some of the terms are exceptionally outdated, and some of the over-description is not of use," he said with a sneer. "Her actual theory makes sense."

"And that is?"

"We will never fully understand the depths of magic. However, the more unnaturally powerful, so to speak, a person is, the greater the consequences." He passed me a piece of parchment with his familiar, tidy scrawl on it. "You see, Ravenclaw's theory centers around the idea of balance. A person cannot have unlimited power without repercussions, or else the balance of the world is disturbed."

"So she has a sort of yin and yang theory?"

"Precisely," he said with a curt nod. "Since your power is considered the 'Ultimate' one, you will, according to Ravenclaw, have the biggest reverberations."

"But how can we be sure what the Ultimate Power is?" I asked, running a hand through my hair.

"Explain."

"Well it's based on personal feelings, isn't it? Each person values something different. Therefore, what the Ultimate Power is to one person can greatly differ from what it is to someone else."

He frowned. "So you're saying that since the prophecy didn't specify what powers the Ultimate Power had-"

"Then how do we know I'm not just some freaky shadow with an affinity for visions," I concluded. "Some people may see the ability to control fire as the Ultimate Power. Some might see charms work, hell, some might even see love! The point is, this is a subjective matter. So even if I am the Ultimate Power, and even if the repercussions of that power are great, we can't be sure that I haven't already maxed out the amount of power I have."

"So you believe that there is a chance, albeit a small one, that your power will not increase anymore?"

"Yeah."

He gave me a small glare. "Do you know how absolutely daft you sound?"

"What-"

"People have feared your existence for years, Miss Nouvelli. Seers from all over the world have been contacted to learn about you and your skills. If they had come across _anything_ that had led them to believe that _love_ was the blasted Ultimate Power, do you really think you'd need to keep yourself hidden?"

"But we can't be sure-"

"Of course we can't be sure! You're an abnormality. You can never be sure of an abnormality. You will, and forever shall, remain a constant mystery to _everyone._ Therefore, we need to be cautious. We shall assume that your power is unlimited-"

"Well, you know what they say about assuming-"

"And," he interrupted, his eyes glinting dangerously. "We will therefore have no more discussion on the arbitrary nature of your powers. From now on, you will air on the side of caution. In addition to training your unique powers, we will be working to train your resistance to the insanity."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"Meditation," he said stiffly. "You will meditate after using your powers to help you relax. You'll have to learn to let go or your emotions-"

"Oh yeah, that will be easy."

"But," he said, his voice raising a tad. "With any luck, the more you use them and get used to the... side effects, the more control over yourself you'll have."

"With any luck," I drawled. "As in you're not sure."

"Haven't you been listening, Miss Nouvelli? We can never be sure," he shook his head, standing. "Your whole life is unsure. Until we know more about your powers, all we can do is go from here and hope that we don't kill you in the process."

Oh. Swell.

* * *

Well, here you guys go! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, because there was a lot of Snape-ness involved. I feel like this chapter explains a lot, so I hope that it was enlightening, and that you enjoyed it!

An update on the fun news: As I previously mentioned, we are about half way through this story, and because of this, I promised to review one of my reviewer's stories. As I special bonus, I decided to review two! The winners are brilliantblonde (whose story Walking After Midnight is awesome) and GumiBearOnAShortBus (who wrote the adorable Seven Years). Thank you guys again!

If you have some free time on your hands (note the shameless self-plug), go and read my Ron/Hermione story Slippery, or, if you're a Snape fan, my oneshot A Serpentine Style. Don't forget to review; it would really mean a lot to me!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, GumiBearOnAShortBus, XxX Fred Weasley's Wife XxX, julieakaweirdo, Invierna, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	15. Secrets Revealed

_Previously..._

_"And," he interrupted, his eyes glinting dangerously. "We will therefore have no more discussion on the arbitrary nature of your powers. From now on, you will air on the side of caution. In addition to training your unique powers, we will be working to train your resistance to the insanity."_

_"And how are we going to do that?"_

_"Meditation," he said stiffly. "You will meditate after using your powers to help you relax. You'll have to learn to let go or your emotions-"_

_"Oh yeah, that will be easy."_

_"But," he said, his voice raising a tad. "With any luck, the more you use them and get used to the... side effects, the more control over yourself you'll have."_

_"With any luck," I drawled. "As in you're not sure."_

_"Haven't you been listening, Miss Nouvelli? We can never be sure," he shook his head, standing. "Your whole life is unsure. Until we know more about your powers, all we can do is go from here and hope that we don't kill you in the process."_

_Oh. Swell._

_

* * *

_

Quidditch was the talk of the school come the following weeks, seeing as the Gryffindor game against Hufflepuff was quickly approaching. I was in the common room with Harry and Hermione during the Gryffindor Quidditch practice when we were approached by Fred and George.

"Well," the latter of the two said, flopping down unceremoniously on the couch beside me. "We are going to lose tomorrow."

"Come on, now," Hermione countered. "Stop being so pessimistic-"

"No, it's true," Fred said. He shot me a tentative glance before he sat across from me. I could tell that he wasn't sure about being around me in an amicable setting yet. I couldn't help biting my lip; I had changed him... "The team is absolute rubbish this year without us."

"Ginny's all right," George pointed out. "Fat lot of good that will do, though, if we can't score..."

"How is Ron doing?" Harry asked.

George winced. "You'd be better off not asking, mate."

Hermione blinked. "That bad?"

"Only when he thinks he's being watched," Fred muttered. "Like the entire game."

"I'm almost embarrassed to be a Gryffindor," George muttered, stretching out.

Fred, meanwhile, stood. "I feel like there's no reason for us to even be here."

Hermione blanched. "But you have exams!"

I rolled my eyes. "Hermione, you're the only one that cares about exams."

"But-"

"They're not really too significant," Fred agreed, giving me a meaningful look. "We have more important things to figure out, you know."

Was he talking about me? Did he mean that I needed to sort out my feelings for Bill? Did he want me to think, to learn more about myself? I shook my head. This was too much for me right now. I gathered my bag together, standing up. "I'll see you guys later."

The twins looked surprised. "And where do you think you're going at this time of night?" George asked.

"I have training with Snape. Knowing him, I'd better not be late," I said, nodding my head towards the group before I strode from the room.

* * *

My lessons with Snape had been growing steadily more and more productive over the ensuing month. I had become better at controlling my visions, though certain variables still stopped me from seeing too far into the future. We had even begun to work with my shadow ability, and the various ways that I could change into the dark form without turning my entire body. The amount of concentration that it took was immense, but over time, the feeling soon became almost second nature to me.

What persisted in being a challenge, however, was the constant meditation that I was forced to participate in after our meetings. Snape would force me to sit still for nearly half an hour, leaning against a wall without saying a word.

"This is pointless," I muttered one day after one of our work-outs. "I'll be going to bed soon, anyway. I'll just relax then."

"And what if Potter decides to pull you into another one of his brainless stunts?" he sneered. "Will you tell him that he'll, unfortunately, have to brave his personal stupidity on his own because you're in need of a nap?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you ever get tired of being a constant fountain of sarcasm and snark?"

"I find that it curbs both the minds and the mouths of daft students from sharing their moronic dribble."

I raised an eyebrow. "Curb their minds? Do you make it a habit, then, of invading the privacy and thoughts of others?"

His lip curled into what could vaguely resemble a smirk. "Only when I feel something is amiss. Believe me, I do not wish to be privy to the knowledge of whom is dating whom, and whatnot."

I laughed. "Or whether or not Bobby thinks your cute or Sam likes Jenny." I shook my head. "It's kind of sad that no matter what type of person you are- muggle, wizard- all teenagers are focused on the same mindless, monotonous routine of who-likes-who.

A slightly amused expression fell onto his face as he sat atop one of the desks. "Quite. Though I'd have to argue that most adults- wizards or not- are too overly-concerned with this as well.

"Well, of course," I said, my tone taking on a mocking quality. "It's in human nature to resist change. Why grow out of the ridiculous, gossiping ways that you're so used to when you can maintain the mental capacity of a child forever?"

"It is the drama of the situation that draws people in," he agreed.

"Tell me about it. All of the drama, the games..." I bit my lip, my eyes trained on the floor as I contemplated. "You know when I was with Bill, everything was... peaceful. It didn't matter that I was living the simplistic, teen lifestyle because I had him. But what he did... It was just so wrong, so immature. He was just playing games... Maybe that's what hurt most of all. But I do know that I'm sick of games. I don't want someone to... be young and stuck in that teenager land." I looked up at him, meeting his cool, black eyes. "Do you know what I mean?"

He was silent for a moment, barely breathing before he finally said in his soft manner, "I think you'd better go now."

* * *

The article Hermione had been talking about came out in _The Quibbler_ the next day, and it didn't take long for the entire school to be talking about it, especially after Umbridge banned the publication from school grounds. The magazine was quickly selling out.

Witches and wizards from all over the country wrote in to Harry. Some claimed that he was insane, but many of them believed him, claiming that if Dumbledore supported his theory, then it must be true.

Harry was, of course, caught by Umbridge and given even more detentions, but it didn't seem to matter to either him or Hermione. People were finally beginning to believe him and take his claims seriously. Things were looking up.

At least, that's what we'd been thinking, until the next morning, when Harry told us about a dream he'd had featuring Death Eaters being tortured for failing their master...

"It has to be the weapon," Hermione muttered. "They were punished because they couldn't get it."

"But how could they not get it?" Ron said in frustration, throwing his hands up. "They've been after this thing for months! Surely, whatever it is, it's not so unobtainable that they can't find a way-"

"It may be a little more complicated then that, if it's hidden in the ministry," Harry said, giving me a cursory glance. "...Is it?"

I didn't even need to check. "Yeah," I said glibly. "Though where, I can't tell. Probably because there's no way in hell I'll ever see it."

"The biggest problem," Harry continued darkly. "Is that Rookwood told Voldemort how to get the weapon-"

"Which is knowledge you shouldn't be privy to," Hermione said sternly. "You _are_ taking Occlumency seriously, aren't you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course."

* * *

It was just after dinner a few nights later when she struck. Ron, Hermione, and I were just leaving the Great Hall when we came upon Umbridge and Professor Trelawney. While the former of the two looked rather smug, Trelawney appeared to be horrified, as if she was hearing that her life was about to change before her very eyes.

It was.

"D-Dolores," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "Please-"

"I'm sorry," Umbridge said, her voice taking on its overly sweet tone again. "But it's time for you to go."

"But-"

"Oh, Merlin," Hermione muttered.

"What?" Ron asked, turning towards her. "What's going on?"

Hermione slowly shook her head. "She's just been sacked," she whispered.

And looking back on the scene, it became apparent that she indeed had just been fired, by Umbridge of all people. "Aw, hell," I breathed. I didn't like the lady, but even she didn't deserve to go in this unprofessional manner. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Harry and Snape come into view...

"This is m-my h-home! P-please!"

"Not anymore," Umbridge said, almost cheerfully. "Under the law of the Ministry of Magic, you no longer have any claim to these grounds. It's best that you leave now, before you cause a scene."

I snorted. "Right," I murmured to Hermione. "Because this isn't, in any way, a scene."

Suddenly, McGonagall stepped forward. "All right now, Sibyll. How about we go inside, have some tea... Everything's going to be all right. You don't have to leave," she said, taking the frail woman by the shoulders.

"You have no authority, Professor McGonagall," Umbridge said, her voice losing some of its sugary quality.

"But I do," Dumbledore said, at last stepping from the crowd.

"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore. Perhaps you didn't understand me. Professor Trelawney does not meet the Ministry approved standards for a Divination teacher. Therefore, she must go."

"Oh, she will not teach anymore," Dumbledore said. I was surprised to see that he was actually smiling. Was he _enjoying_ this? Or did his delight generate from taking Umbridge down a peg? "Minerva, please escort her back upstairs-"

"Her quarters are needed for a new teacher, Albus," Umbridge said through her teeth.

"Oh," Dumbledore said, a mysterious smile slipping into place upon his wizened face. "Don't worry, Dolores. I have it all taken care of."

I was a little worried to see what he had in store for us...

* * *

Once we entered Divination class the next day (which had been relocated to a classroom _not_ located in a creepy, secluded tower, thank god), everyone couldn't help but stare in awe at the furnishings that surrounded us. A forest setting had taken the area over, and standing in the middle of the room was Firenze, a centaur who would be teaching our class.

Bizarre.

Class began with a quick question and answer period, in which the students eagerly mauled Firenze with inquiries about his past and his current life. After that, however, he chose to teach us about the stars and Astrology, quickly claiming that the stuff Trelawney had been bestowing upon us was all "rubbish."

"The planetary movements," he continued, much to my delight. "Do not effect the way the world works. Any predictions that have accurately been made off of them have been purely coincidental."

I let out a snort of laughter as beside me, Parvati and Lavender's faces fell. This was too perfect! Finally, someone who knew what they were talking about!

His eyes caught my own, staring at me with curiosity as he continued. "There are, however, drawbacks to the way we centaurs understand the future. It can, at times, take a multitude of years to be able to be sure of what we are seeing."

"If it's so indefinite, then what's the point," Ron muttered to me. But he spoke too loudly, for Firenze heard him.

"If you doubt, Ron Weasley," Firenze countered, stepping closer to Ron. "Then why even be here?"

I spoke, however, before anything else could be said. "Excuse me. Uh, sorry for interrupting and all, Professor," I began, not really sure how to address someone who was half-horse. "But I understand Ron's point."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"Well, it appears that you can only see long term," I mentioned, using my hands as I spoke. "If this is the case, then that means that as circumstances change, then so does the future. When the future changes, so does your perception. So if you spend years trying to determine what will happen next, you will obviously fail. Looking years into the future... it can't be done. In theory, it's only the few months after the present that matter."

He watched me, staring for a long moment before finally, slowly, he spoke. "We cannot all be Seers Avery Nouvelli."

I could feel the eyes of my classmates on me, the stares of others following my every move, and I swallowed, as beside me, Ron and Harry exchanged quick glances.

Aw, crap.

* * *

Thanks to Firenze's commentary, news of my clairvoyance was soon spread throughout the school, so that by lunchtime, even the younger students were aware that the weird American muggle-born was psychic.

Lavender and Parvati, of course, absolutely refused to speak to me. They chose instead to stalk around spreading rumors about me, claiming that this was just a pathetic attempt made by be to garner attention.

I truly wish that they were right. Or that, at the very least, the rest of the school believed their lies. But it wasn't so. Malfoy was the first to confront me as I was walking to potions class that day, his goons by his side. "A Seer?" he sneered at me. "Really?"

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron sneered, coming to my defense.

But he ignored Ron. "How in the name of Merlin could you be so thick, Nouvelli? You can _see the future_. But rumor has it that you're failing Divination. That's just pathetic."

He pushed past me and into the classroom, his Slytherin cronies laughing as they followed. I exchanged worried glances with Hermione. "Well," I muttered. "As long as that's the only thing he's come to realize..."

Potions class was a complete nightmare. Not even the solitary solace of brewing could keep me from noticing the withering stares of my dorm mates, or the looks of fear and confusion from the guys of Gryffindor. I knew what they were thinking. Why was I like this? Why had I kept it a secret? What would I do now that it was revealed?

The fear of the unknown permeated my existence, as all around me, people were acting with caution. The uncertainty of their actions was incredible, and at that point, I almost wished I'd denied Firenze's accusations. At least then, I wouldn't be ostracized for my abilities.

Of course, I could begin denying them now. It would take awhile, but with a few well-placed arguments about my success in the Divination class, I was sure that I could convince them that I was normal.

It was my best option. My only option, really.

Snape was an even greater terror on this particular day, giving my classmates an even greater reason to keep their heads down. I had a modicum of hope left that his sudden anger had nothing to do with me, yet it was not so, for no sooner had he dismissed the class then he'd said, "Not you, Miss Nouvelli. A word, if you will."

I sighed as the Golden Trio sent me sympathetic glances. Great. What a perfect addition to a crappy day. As my fellow students filed out of the room, I turned back to Snape. "Yes?" I asked.

He paused, waiting until the last few stragglers had left the room before he flicked his wand, shutting the door and warding the room. His eyes were filled with fury as he turned to me. "Are you _absolutely mad_?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Letting everyone know that you're a Seer!" he said, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. He let go, shaking his head. "You are exposing yourself! You're a fool-"

"It's not my fault!"

He snorted. "Oh, of course not."

"Firenze-"

"Was undoubtably baited by you, Miss Nouvelli," he snapped. "If that were not the case, then he would have stayed silent."

I shrugged. "Okay, so I pissed him off a little when I said his branch of Divination was worthless, but-"

His expression grew harsh as he stared down at me. "_But_? There is no _but_, Miss Nouvelli. Do you know what you've done? The entire school knows that you're a Seer!"

I nodded. "I know."

His jaw tightened as he watched me. "Do you have _any_ idea what that means?"

I rolled my eyes. "That I'll be the topic of conversation around the school for the next few weeks before some new scandal begins to occupy the minds of the flighty teenager youths?"

His mouth twisted into a sneer. "Obviously not." He sighed, sliding onto the top of his desk. "Miss Nouvelli," he said tersely. "There are... children at Hogwarts, children in your year, even, who have... unsavory parents."

"Children of Death Eaters," I clarified.

He nodded once. "While these specific... children may see nothing into your unique _talent_, they will, undoubtedly, relay the news back to their parents. Some of the children may think it's purely interesting, others may believe it to be a skill they should be jealous of. Few will tell their parents with malicious intent, but their parents _will_ be informed."

I bit my lip. "Then so will the Dark Lord."

"Precisely."

I sat down across from him on one of the desks. "Well then I'll deny the accusations. I'll say they're false."

But he was already shaking his head. "It won't matter. The news is already out there. That's enough."

I sighed once before snapping my gaze to his own. "All right, then. Let's examine the various outcomes. What do you think the odds are that he'll brush the news off?"

He rolled his eyes. "Next to none."

"That he'll come after me?"

She shook his head. "Small. He's attempting to keep a low profile for now."

My breath caught in my throat. "That he'll come after my family?"

He hesitated before answering with a small amount of reluctance. "Quite a bit larger."

I swallowed. No. I wasn't going to let that happen. My mother, my father, my sister... I hit my hand agains the table. I'd done it again. I'd been impulsive, and now people were going to be hurt... "Shit," I swore. This wasn't good. I needed a plan, something... "Ty," I muttered. "I'll go to Ty." Never mind the fact that we weren't talking. This was my _family_. He wouldn't abandon them because he was mad at me. Would he?

"Your parents are unmagical, Miss Nouvelli," Snape continued, bringing me from my thoughts. "Taking them would serve no purpose then to see if you'll respond."

I snorted. "Oh, _that_'s a great comfort."

But he pressed on. "I may be able to persuade him to let me keep an eye on you instead. I will, of course, have to present him with some false information about your magical abilities. Enough so he doesn't perceive you as a threat, but not too much in case some of your classmates decide to speak of you."

A small smile slipped onto my face. "Would you?"

But he just rolled his eyes. "You act as though my doing this would be a treat, Miss Nouvelli."

"Right, sorry."

He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but he was quickly interrupted by a knock on the door. He stood from his desk, flicking his wand towards the door to release the wards as he stepped over to open it. He raised an eyebrow as he saw Umbridge before him. "May I help you?"

"Yes, Severus. I heard a rumor that Miss Nouvelli was in here. Ah," she said, peering past Snape's shoulder. "There she is. Come along, my dear." She beckoned towards me with her hand. "We're going to have a nice little chat now."

I hesitated, glancing at Snape to see him watching me. He was turned slightly away from Umbridge, and his expression clearly said _be careful with what you say to her_. I gave him a slight nod, before stepping around him and following Professor Umbridge from the dungeons.

* * *

"Now my dear," she said, once we were both situated in her overtly pink office. "I've heard some funny rumors going around here today, and I was wondering if you could... dispel them for me."

I blinked, feigning innocence. "I don't know what you mean, Professor."

Her smile grew more forced as she looked down at me. "Miss Nouvelli... It has come to my attention that various students believe you to be... gifted."

Geez, was she seriously going to continue to use euphemistic phrases like this? What would it take for her to be direct? I smiled sweetly. If she was going to insist on interrogating me, then I sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy on her. "I am gifted, Professor," I said with faked happiness. "I'm incredibly gifted. Why, I thank my lucky stars everyday because I'm a witch and get to attend Hogwarts."

The smile that had forced itself onto her face disappeared. "No, dear," she said somewhat tensely. "That's not what I meant. I meant that various... people," she sneered the word. It was _so_ obvious from her disdain that she was talking about Firenze. "Are claiming that you're a Seer."

I felt a moment of hesitation well up within me. Should I lie to her? But the question was quickly answer. _Uh, duh._ I blinked, pretending to be confused. "Right, that's what he said. But I don't understand what that is."

"Allow me to be blunt, Miss Nouvelli," she said. I could tell that her patience was wearing thin. "Do you, or do you not, see the future."

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean like carnival fortune tellers do?"

"I mean like those who make prophesies do!" she snapped.

Uh-oh. We couldn't be talking about prophesies; it was too close to the truth. I had to change the subject. So I shook my head. "Professor, I don't know if you're aware of this, but I'm failing Divination."

"Right. But-"

"If I truly was a 'Seer,'" I said, using air-quotes to emphasize my point. "Then would I really be failing so dismally?"

She hesitated. "I suppose not."

I smiled. "Good."

But then her eyes narrowed; I obviously hadn't given her the answer that she'd wanted. "If I find that you've been lying to me, Miss Nouvelli, I will have you back to your precious little _America_ faster then you can blink, do you understand?"

"Perfectly."

* * *

The next night, I slipped out of the Gryffindor common room and used my shadow powers to sneak into Hogsmeade. It would have been much more convenient to use the common room's floo, but what with Umbridge watching the fireplaces, I didn't want to take the risk.

And so I snuck out to The Three Broomsticks, floo powder in hand, and leapt into their fireplace, traveling back home to LA and the Bauer house. I couldn't help but cough a little as I stepped from their fireplace; I hadn't traveled by floo since the incident over Christmas, and I was a little disoriented.

No one was home when I arrived, so I quickly left. I knew that Tyler would be at the dance studio with Darcy and Anderson. Competition season was upon them, and rehearsals would be in full swing.

I turned back into my solid self, stepping into the dimly lit studio. As I walked through the office, I could hear the music for their group jazz number, and a ping of regret shot through me. I should have been there. That should have been me...

I lingered by the doorway of the dance room. Darcy noticed me first, stopping mid-turn and spinning around to face me with an astonished gaze. "Avery?"

This garnered the attention of the other two, and before long, Anderson was turning the music off as Ty stepped closer to me. "What's wrong?" he demanded.

"It's, um..." I trailed off, not really knowing what to say in front of the other two. They were probably so mad at me... "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

But he just continued on. "Was there an attack?"

I blinked. Did he just say... But Darcy spoke first, her voice soft. "Tyler told us, Avery. He told us everything."

My mouth dropped open as my glance strayed towards my ex. "Really, now?" I demanded somewhat sharply.

"Oh, don't act so hurt," Tyler defended. "You didn't really leave me much of a choice, after you almost set us on fire and then disappeared before our eyes."

I was taken aback. "You could have obliviated them!"

"Not in good conscience."

"Avery," Darcy interrupted, taking a step closer to me. "Why didn't you say anything? About the war, England... your magic? Why did you let me yell at you and hate on you..."

"What was I supposed to say, Darcy? That I was sorry, but I couldn't put all of my time and energy behind the team because some bald nutter with no nose wanted to take over the world and I had to help stop him? Really? Would that have appeased you?"

She tried to plead with me. "Well, no but-"

"Then I don't know what to tell you," I snapped before turning back to Ty. "I'm only here because my status as a Seer has been leaked. Voldemort will find out. My family is in danger. I need you and your family to work with whoever you can to protect them."

His eyes widened in shock. "Oh my god... How was it leaked-"

"It doesn't matter. Just... protect them, okay?" I said, turning away from the group.

"Avery-"

But I shook my head. "I should go." And just as the wind blew up outside, I changed, drifting away from my old life and towards the fireplace that would bring me to my new one.

* * *

I arrived back at Hogwarts just in time to know that something wasn't right. Towards the library door raced Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. Upon reaching the door to the library, they stopped running, and their breathing became replaced with panting as they opened the door and stepped inside.

I followed them, steeping out of the shadows. "What's going on?" I asked.

All three of them visibly jumped, surprised by my appearance, before George spoke. "You mean you don't know?"

"Calm down, George," Fred said quietly. "She wasn't at the meeting."

"But I thought she was a Seer?" Lee asked.

"Meeting?" I asked, ignoring Lee. "You mean a DA meeting?" The three of them nodded. A nauseous feeling rose in my gut. "What happened?"

They exchanged glances before Lee finally spoke in a solemn voice. "She knows."

My breath caught in my throat. There could only be one possible 'she' that they were referring to, and if Umbridge knew about the DA... "Crap," I muttered.

* * *

So, I feel horrible. I mean it, really, really horrible. It's been approximately a month since I've updated, and I can't believe that I let the gap between updates get so long. My one defense? I'm a high school senior. It's the fall. I've been spendng my free time taking the SAT, the ACT, the SAT IIs, and writing college essay upon college essay.

My life sucks.

But I really am so, so sorry for the delay! I promise that I won't let it get nearly as lengthy as it has ever again! What with Veterans Day and Thanksgiving break approaching, you should be seeing another update from me soon enough, I promise!

In the meantime, I have some pretty cool news. As most of you are aware, Nanowrimo is this month. Because of all of the college craziness, I've decided to write HP fanfic this year for my story. What I'm doing is writing a HG/SS piece called Fragments. There will be a hundred chapters, an average of 700 words per chapter, and I will be releasing a new chapter every three days. Obviously, I will continue to work on this at the same time, so please show Fragments some love and review that as well! I just posted the first chapter, and it's really short, so check it out; it will be a much quicker read.

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, GumiBearOnAShortBus, leafpool310, AshleyDiLorentis, SerbiaTakesCntrl, julieakaweirdo, Invierna, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	16. The End of Occlumency

_Previously..._

_"What's going on?" I asked._

_All three of them visibly jumped, surprised by my appearance, before George spoke. "You mean you don't know?"_

_"Calm down, George," Fred said quietly. "She wasn't at the meeting."_

_"But I thought she was a Seer?" Lee asked._

_"Meeting?" I asked, ignoring Lee. "You mean a DA meeting?" The three of them nodded. A nauseous feeling rose in my gut. "What happened?"_

_They exchanged glances before Lee finally spoke in a solemn voice. "She knows."_

_My breath caught in my throat. There could only be one possible 'she' that they were referring to, and if Umbridge knew about the DA... "Crap," I muttered._

_

* * *

_

"Shit," I muttered as I stood in the common room beside Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny.

"Tell me about it," the redhead girl whispered, shaking her head.

"This isn't good," Hermione sighed.

I snorted. "You think?"

The four of us weren't surprised by the development; thanks to Harry prepping us, we'd been forewarned. But that didn't make the blow any easier to bear, and as we stared at the notice board, we were victim to the same amount of horror that our various housemates felt.

Dumbledore was gone. Umbridge was the headmaster.

"This is all my fault," Harry moaned, collapsing into a chair beside the fire.

I rolled my eyes. "Hardly."

He glared at me. "If it wasn't for me and the stupid DA, then Dumbledore-"

"-Would still be facing many inquiries from Umbridge as we speak, just not about you," I pointed out. "She was looking for a reason to fire him. _Fudge_ was looking for a reason to fire him."

"To arrest him, actually," Hermione added.

"But-"

"She's right, mate," Ron said, nodding towards me. "It's not your fault. It would have happened eventually."

"What's really horrifying," Hermione said darkly. "Is that the awful woman gave Slytherins the power to dock points."

I stared at her as Harry stood, preparing to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He appeared startled. "What?"

She nodded. "Found out this morning when I went down to the library for some books. Apparently, she's put together an 'Inquisitorial Squad,'" she made a face as we climbed through the portrait hole. "I ran into Malfoy; he took off points because I was muggle-born."

"You actually let him get that far?" We turned to see Fred and George heading towards us. Fred went over to stand by his brother, away from me... George continued speaking with a grin. "Montague tried to dock points from us, but we shoved him into the Vanishing Cabinet."

Hermione looked horrified. "You _what_?"

"Oh, calm down, Hermione. It's not like it matters."

"Not like it- Are you mad? Do you know what Umbridge is going to do to you?"

"Hermione, if she had any real authority, then the gargoyle would have let her into Dumbledore's office," Fred said with a small grin.

The corner's of Ron's lips tipped up. "She can't get in?"

"Nope."

"Excellent!"

"Besides, we don't actually care anymore," George continued. "The only real reason that we were sticking around was for Dumbledore, and now that he's gone-"

"Why bother," Fred finished for him.

"But your futures-"

"Are already set, Hermione. We don't _need_ to do anything. Well," George gave his brother a scheming glance. "Except make the old hag's life miserable, that is."

A small smile slipped onto Harry's face. "What are you planning?"

"Us?"

"Not at thing-"

"Why would you even ask-"

"As if you doubt us-"

"And our morals and all."

The twins started to laugh. "But seriously," Fred said with a wink towards his sister. "I would, for your own academic safety, advise you to head into the Great Hall so that she knows you had nothing to do with this."

"Nothing to do with what?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide.

But the twins just exchanged grins. "You'll see."

As they hurried away, the five of us exchanged glances. "What do you say we follow their advise," Ginny said, gesturing towards the Great Hall.

"Good plan," Ron nodded.

We had only taken a few steps, however, before I grabbed Harry's arm, a feeling of trepidation overcoming me. His eyes widened as he stopped walking. "What?" he asked, leaning closer to me. "What's wrong?"

"Don't drink anything," I muttered, barely aware of what I was saying. "She learned from me. She knows I lied to her... Don't drink anything-"

"What are you _talking_ about?" Harry asked, peering into my dazed face.

I blinked, meeting his gaze as I opened my mouth to answer him, but then- "Potter," came a scratchy voice from behind us. Harry jumped, coming face to face with Filch. "The headmistress wishes to see you in her office."

"The headmistress..." He glanced back at me, before following after Filch. "Of course."

As they left the hall, Hermione turned to me. "'She learned from me'? 'Don't drink anything'? You mean she's going to question Harry using Veritaserum to obtain answers?"

I nodded. "I think so," I said softly.

* * *

Harry was gone for the majority of breakfast, holed up in Umbridge's overly pink office. None of us said much, in fear of eliciting the response of the damned Inquisitorial Squad and their ability to dock points.

I sighed as behind me, Malfoy removed house points from a first year Gryffindor for spilling her juice. "Do you think it's possible for us to be in negative points by the end of the year?"

"More likely than possible," Ron muttered darkly.

"We could always make this more interesting, I guess," I shrugged. "See who can lose the _most_ amount of points by the end of the year."

"That's incredibly stupid-" Hermione began.

"Hey Granger," Malfoy said, walking up behind her. "Ten points from Gryffindor because your hair's a mess."

She stared after him as he walked away, her eyes focused into a deep glare, but I couldn't resist laughing. "You're winning," I pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, well in that case-"

_BOOM!_

Students screamed as above head, fireworks exploded, sparklers lighting up the sky. Ginny and I exchanged knowing grins as we ducked beneath a table. Her brothers were awesome!

_BOOM!_

"Students, please exit the Great Hall," Professor McGonagall yelled over the roar of the fireworks. If I didn't know her any better, I'd say she sounded amused...

Ducking out from behind the tables, I could see that not a single teacher made any attempt to get rid of the fireworks. In fact, most of them just sat back finishing their breakfasts. Snape was even periodically flicking his wand at the fireworks, casually causing them to multiply... He did this in such a furtive manner that no one else noticed, though he caught my eyes, shaking his head slightly as if to caution me to be quiet.

I rolled my eyes. "And he yells at me about setting people on fire," I muttered.

* * *

The fireworks continued throughout the rest of the day, and none of the teachers made any attempts to get rid of them. Umbridge was called from classroom to classroom to futilely try and banish the fireworks as we all looked on in amusement.

"It's nice to know that all of the teachers hate her as much as we do," I said with a grin to Hermione as we left transfiguration that day.

"I definitely agree. It's almost as if they're sanctioning what the twins did," she said with a giggle.

And indeed it was. That night, as I went down into the dungeons for my training with Snape, he was nonchalantly grading papers. I shut and locked the door behind me, rolling my eyes. "Some excitement, huh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, not looking up from his work.

"Oh please," I said, setting my bag down. "You're an exceptionally powerful wizard. I have no doubt that you could have removed the fireworks if you'd wanted to."

He looked up, a ghost of a smile dancing upon his face. "And there, Miss Nouvelli, lies the rub." He stood, setting his quill down. This was the closest I believed I'd get to having him admit that he enjoyed the Weasley's prank.

I tilted my head to the side. "You know, Professor. You really should be more careful when you use your magic. You have to stop flaunting your powers," I teased, mimicking what he'd said to me a few months ago.

He rolled his eyes. "Come. Let's get started."

* * *

"He _what_?"

"He said I didn't need to learn Occlumency anymore," Harry repeated, a frown on his face. It was a few days later, after Harry had been to Snape's to have his own training session, but it apparently hadn't gone as planned. "Are you all right Hermione? I generally don't have to restate things for you."

"What on _earth_ could he be thinking! You have to learn Occlumency-" the outraged brunette continued.

But Harry stopped. "He says I'm good enough at it so that I don't have to meet with him anymore," Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. But he wouldn't meet our eyes. He was lying.

Hermione, however, didn't even come close to picking up on it. "Well, if you're sure..."

"I am."

I wasn't, though. Why would he do this? What could possibly have happened between Snape and Harry in which Snape would tell Harry to never come back again? I resolved to find out. That night, during my own training with Snape, when he said that was enough for the evening and that it was time for me to meditate, I sat back against my normal wall, but I didn't try and relax like I was supposed to.

"You've been a little testy today, sir," I said, panting a bit from exertion. "Anything wrong?"

His lip curled into its patented smirk. "That is none of your concern, Miss Nouvelli."

I shrugged. "Okay. I just thought I'd ask and all, seeing as how you've suddenly cut Harry off from his lessons-"

However, at that _I_ was cut off by the smashing of a jar as it hit the ground a few feet to the left of me. I raised an eyebrow at the broken bits of glass he'd just thrown, surprised by his loss of control. "So," he breathed, his voice becoming dangerously low as his face took on a murderous quality. "Potter has told you what happened, has he?"

Uh, no.

But I didn't say that. Instead, I played along. "I don't really understand what the big deal is-"

"Really? You don't see what the _big deal is_?" He snarled, stepping closer to me. "You don't realize how juvenile and _illegal_ it was for him to go through my belongings, my pensieve? To view my memories _without my permission_? To watch as his vagrant father humiliated me? You don't see what the _big bloody deal is?_"

I blinked. That was what... "He didn't mention that," I muttered.

He stepped back, his hands trembling from fury as he pointed towards the door. "Get out."

"What?"

"OUT!"

I suppose this was what had happened between Harry and Snape the other night. Harry had found out personal information about Snape, and he'd reacted poorly, throwing the poor boy out...

But I didn't move.

"No," I said glibly. "I think I'll stay here."

His jaw tightened as he grabbed his wand from off of his desk. "Don't make me remove you by force, because I swear to Merlin that I _will not hesitate_!"

"Go for it," I shrugged. "Personally, I think you're overreacting a bit-"

"Overreacting. You dare to say-"

"Hear me out," I said, holding up my hands before me. "See, Harry's father was, apparently, an ass to you. I don't contest that. I'm sure he was horrible. I'm equally sure that, knowing you, you didn't just sit there and take it."

"You dare to presume what I would do-"

"If I'm right," I said, speaking up. "Then that means you had a... rivalry of some sorts going on. Where you _both_ hurt each other."

His glare grew deadly. "Are you saying that this is my fault-"

"Not at all," I said quickly, backtracking. "What I _am_ saying is that the sort of rivalry that you were, unfortunately, a part of most likely had nothing to do with you as a person- Well, at least not in the beginning. It was most likely attributed to the fact that you were a Slytherin, and he was a Gryffindor."

Despite his fury, Snape still rolled his eyes. "A house rivalry. What a novel idea," he sneered.

"You had," I continued on as if I hadn't heard him. "The Slytherin potions genius against the Gryffindor Quidditch star. It's a rivalry that can't, in truth, be avoided."

"And yet that doesn't explain how I'm 'overreacting,'" he bit out, leaning against his desk with a scowl.

I blinked. "Really? You don't think this sort of rivalry sounds familiar? You know, a certain Boy-Who-Lived against the Slytherin prince?"

He scoffed. "You believe that since _Potter_ has experienced a similar... lifestyle as I have, that I should not be so hard on him."

I shook my head. "Not at all. I believe that since, as shown by the parallels between the two generations, this sort of rivalry is within human nature, that you shouldn't be so hard on him."

"People don't have to succumb to their natures-"

"But they generally do," I interrupted. "And you shouldn't punish them for that."

"That doesn't diminish the fact that Potter defied my orders and looked into my memories," he said, putting his wand back on his desk.

I shrugged. "True. But I don't think he did it with malicious intent in mind. I think he was just overly curious."

"The fool," he said.

"Oh I whole-heartedly agree." I laughed a bit, brushing the hair from my eyes. "He's definitely way too curious for his own good. Why do you think we constantly shadow him? We have to protect him from his own stupidity."

His lips twitched for a moment, and the fury on his face seemed to dissipate. It was then that I knew that, at the very least, he was no longer angry with _me_.

* * *

Harry was unusually quiet the next few days, but I didn't really have time to dwell on it. The heads of the houses were meeting with each student individually to discuss career options, and my appointment appeared to be in the middle of lunch.

As I entered Professor McGonagall's office, she nodded in my direction. "Miss Nouvelli," she said, gesturing for me to sit.

I looked over her shoulder to see Umbridge sitting there, that damn clipboard in her hand still... I smiled back at my Transfiguration teacher. "Hello Professor McGonagall. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"Excellent," I said, brushing the hair from my eyes. Man, I really needed to trim my bangs. "And I'll be even better once these OWLs are over with."

"Now then, Miss Nouvelli," McGonagall said, leaning forward. "This meeting is all about you. So tell me, what do you want to do when you graduate?"

I shrugged. "No idea."

She blinked, apparently surprised. "You haven't given it any thought at all?" Behind her, Umbridge snorted with disapproval.

"Professor, I haven't given thought to anything past the end of the wa-" At the stern look she shot me, I changed my sentence mid-word. "-Wild graduation party I'll be throwing," I recovered. Right, Umbridge was there. I couldn't acknowledge Voldemort's existence.

"What do you plan to do with your education, then?"

I threw up one of my hands. "I don't have a clue. Honestly, I was thinking of heading back to America, maybe rejoining the muggle world for a little bit."

Umbridge scoffed in outrage. "Your lack of ambitions is incredibly disheartening, Miss Nouvelli."

But McGonagall ignored her, and she frowned. "That would dissatisfy you, Miss Nouvelli."

"Probably. But I won't know until I've tried."

She sighed. "Well then let's look at this reasonably. What classes do you plan on pursuing next year?"

"Well potions, of course," I noted, crossing my legs. "I'll have no trouble in that class. Herbology, since it goes hand in hand with potions. Transfiguration," I said, as she nodded at me.

"Charms?"

I snorted. "If I can even get into the class. It's not exactly my strongest subject."

"Perhaps not," she conceded. "However, you _have_ improved immensely since you first transferred to Hogwarts," she said, a small smile on her lips. Of course I'd improved; I hadn't known anything about magic before I'd arrived. "I'm sure Flitwick will take that into account."

She flipped through her notes. "I believe that means you are dropping History of Magic, Care of Magical Creatures, and Divination?"

I shuddered, nodding to her as an answer. "Horrible subject," I muttered.

"Well from what Professor Snape has told me, you'll be able to perhaps squeeze into his potions class by the slimmest of margins." I blanched. I'd _what_? A smile found its way onto her face. "That's high praise, coming from him."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Your marks in both Transfiguration and Herbology appear to be sufficient," she said with an approving nod. She looked back up at me. "Tell me, Miss Nouvelli. Have you thought about continuing on in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Well, given what's going on right now," I said, waving my hand to indicate the war. "That may be a good idea."

"_Hem hem_."

"All right then, Miss Nouvelli. Then it looks as though we're finished for today-"

"_Hem hem!_"

McGonagall rolled her eyes, and I suddenly felt bad for her. She had probably been doing this all day. Dealing with Umbridge for hours on end couldn't have been easy. "Yes?" she hissed through her teeth.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, Minerva, she will not be able to continue on in Defense Against the Dark Arts next year," Umbridge said with satisfaction.

"And why, may I ask, is that?" she asked through her teeth.

"Well, Minerva," she said sweetly. "Miss Nouvelli's grades simply aren't good enough."

"Aren't good- We haven't done _anything_," I exclaimed. "My grades can't be that bad-"

"On the contrary, Miss Nouvelli, your grades are so dismal simply because you refuse to follow the directions and read in class," she snapped back at me. "It's your lack of complying with the rules that's causing this problem."

_Screw the rules,_ I thought. But before I could speak and get myself into trouble, McGonagall cut in, speaking to me alone. "You will study hard, get at least an E on your OWL, and you will take the NEWT course next year, understand?" I nodded. "Very good," she said, overriding Umbridge's rising complaints. "You are dismissed."

I left the room quickly, though I couldn't help but feel that if she continued to piss off Umbridge, then McGonagall's time at Hogwarts would soon expire...

* * *

Hermione was in an incredibly foul mood later that day, due to the fact that Harry, desiring to speak to Sirius, had enlisted Fred and George in helping him create a diversion so that he could sneak into Umbridge's office. While I might have agreed with Hermione in that it was a completely stupid thing to do, I wasn't outraged enough that I felt the need to let his stupidity ruin my day.

This was doubly true when the twins' diversion actually occurred, because it turned out that their idea of a distraction was to turn an entire corridor into a swamp. "Oh my-" Umbridge stuttered as she came into view of the area.

Up and down the corridor was mud from the swamp; students were wiping muck from their shoes. And yet in the middle of the mess, completely unharmed, stood Fred and George Weasley.

"They are geniuses," Ron muttered. "Absolutely brilliant."

"They're going to be murdered," Hermione corrected. "Absolutely murdered."

And it appeared that she was right, because Umbridge soon sent Filch off to get something as she glared at the twins. "You think this is funny, do you?"

The twins exchanged looks. "Pretty funny, yeah," George said with a casual air.

Fred nodded in agreement. "The most fun I've had in weeks."

A pang of regret shot through me. Was he talking about me? Had I affected the amount of fun he'd had? Or was he just being glib like his brother had been? Was I reading too much into it?

Filch came running back, and I noticed that some of the teachers had congregated among the entrance to the corridor, looking decidedly amused. McGonagall was hiding a smile, Flitwick and Sprout were secretly high-fiveing each other, and even Snape looked as though Christmas had come early.

Harry appeared behind Umbridge as she glared maliciously at the twins. "You two are about to find out what happens when you break the rules at _my_ school."

Fred rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. You may be headmistress, but it's hardly your school."

George nodded. "It will only be your school when all of the students comply to your ridiculous demands. I wouldn't hold my breath, if I were you."

"Actually," Fred said with a chuckle. "Go ahead. Hold your breath. It will make getting rid of you a lot easier."

Ron turned to me, his expression half amused, half horrified. "They've been hanging out with you _far_ too much."

Umbridge snarled, her eyes growing wide. "You two are going to be in detention until you graduate!"

But they just exchanged glances. "No," George said at last. "I don't believe we are."

Simultaneously, they raised their wands, pointing them in the direction of Umbridge's office before they yelled, "_Accio brooms_!" In less than a moment, the two broomsticks were hurtling towards the twins, the chains that Umbridge had placed on them hurtling after them.

"I would say I'd miss you," Fred said with a grin. "But that would be too big of a lie, even for me."

George nodded. "Here's hoping to never see you again."

As he mounted his broom, Fred addressed the crowd. "If you enjoyed your experience with the Portable Swamp," he said, gesturing to the corridor. "Then come to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley!"

"We'll even give discounts," George said with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "If you promise to use our products to get rid of the old toad." He pointed towards Umbridge.

Her hair stood on end as she rounded on the Inquisitorial Squad. "Seize them!"

No sooner had she shouted, however, then the twins took off into the air, waving at the crowd of cheering students and secretly amused teachers. "It's been fun," George said, before whistling at the crowd.

But it was Fred who took the parting shot. "Giver her hell from us, Peeves!"

* * *

The school quickly turned to chaos after the Weasley's dramatic exit. Dungbombs were dropped, Nifflers were set loose in the castle, and various products made by the twins were set off at random intervals. Filch and the damned Inquisitorial Squad kept trying to find the culprits, but it was too late. Everyone was a perpetrator, committed to ousting Umbridge.

All of the teachers, even Snape, seemed to be ignoring the various problems that filled the school, and because of this, for the most part, nobody tried to ruin their classes. But in Umbridge's class? No, the entire room was always an unruly mess. The problem was made even worse in that some of the teachers even aided the trouble-maker students in their pranks against the awful headmistress.

The height of the disarray occurred during the Quidditch Cup final, but I didn't go to the match. Snape had decided that it would be the best time to hold an impromptu meeting.

I rolled my eyes as I met him in his lab. "Hufflepuff is playing Gryffindor for all of the marbles. You're one of the heads of houses. Aren't you sort of obligated to go?"

He sighed. "The end of the year in drawing near, and we need to begin discussing what our plans are for next year. Umbridge has been badgering me to make more Veritaserum as of late, and I keep telling her that I have no time, but she's not exactly one to listen to the missives of others."

I raised an eyebrow. "You think this is the only opportunity we may have to talk candidly without her around?"

"She's been dropping by my classroom late at night for the past few days. Don't be surprised if tomorrow night, there's a knock on my door and I suddenly have a need for potions ingredients to be sorted," he said darkly.

I chuckled slightly. "Of course. Though, if we're really beginning to attract that much attention with our... training, then maybe we should change it up next year."

He raised one eyebrow. "You mean change the dates?"

"No, I mean change what we're calling it." I sat down on top of my usual desk. "I know it may come as a surprise to you, Professor, but even I'm not so bad that I need to be in detention three times a week. Maybe we could say it's... tutoring or something. Extra credit-"

He nodded. "Fair enough. Though I don't give extra credit, and you hardly need tutoring. I suppose... You are rather gifted in potions."

I snorted. "Very astute."

"What I mean," he said sharply. "Is that it would not appear to be a ruse if I made you my apprentice."

I was taken aback. He wanted me to be his _apprentice_? "Wouldn't that require us meeting more than three nights a week?"

He nodded sullenly. "It would most likely consist of us gathering five or six times a week. While that much of you is a little... daunting now, in the upcoming months, I fear that we may indeed need that many sessions."

I blinked. "You think the war is going to come out into the open soon," I accused.

He sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It has to. It's only a matter of time before the Dark Lord reveals himself. These things never stay hidden for too long, and when it does come out, things are going to get marginally worse."

"I guess that means we have a lot of work to do."

He nodded curtly. "Undoubtably."

I tilted my head to the side. "I suppose that means I should actually accept your offer, then."

He watched me for a moment as his lip curled up into a sneer. Finally, he spoke. "You had better, as I haven't offered a single apprenticeship to anyone in all of my time at Hogwarts."

I crossed my legs, a little surprised by this statistic. Yeah, he was doing it to avoid drawing the suspicions of others, but it was his reputation on the line. That meant that he genuinely thought I had potential. "Do other teachers always give out apprenticeships?"

He shook his head. "Only in the fields of Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts are such positions available. And since this school can't seem to keep a defense teacher long enough for an apprenticeship to hold..."

"You're really the only one left to offer such a spot."

His lip curled. "And it's not something I would enjoy doing."

I rolled my eyes. "So would we spend a lot of time brewing?"

"Not nearly as much as we should be, given your... title," he sneered. "Though I suppose given any test, you could use your special gift and succeed anyway."

I nodded, a small smile taking over my lips. "You really think you can handle me six days a week for an entire year?"

He scoffed. "It's debatable, though I will admit that you're not nearly as tiresome as you were at the beginning of the year."

To my utter surprise, I found that I actually agreed with him. Despite my initial impression of him, I'd come to think of Snape as an almost amusing person who I could see myself, maybe not friends with, but companions with...

Life was weird.

* * *

Hey everybody. So here's the next chapter! I've already started on the following one, so it should be up mid-next week.

If you're bored and looking for something to read, check out my Nanowrimo story for this year called Fragments, The chapters are short, and I'm posting the third one tomorrow, so you haven't missed anything. Check it out! And a special thanks to Invierna for reading and reviewing it!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, ColdMartini, GumiBearOnAShortBus, Sevfan, Laurelley, Unconquerable, julieakaweirdo, Invierna, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	17. Exams

_Previously..._

_I nodded, a small smile taking over my lips. "You really think you can handle me six days a week for an entire year?"_

_He scoffed. "It's debatable, though I will admit that you're not nearly as tiresome as you were at the beginning of the year."_

_To my utter surprise, I found that I actually agreed with him. Despite my initial impression of him, I'd come to think of Snape as an almost amusing person who I could see myself, maybe not friends with, but companions with..._

_Life was weird._

_

* * *

_

The Quidditch match was apparently a huge success as, in the upset of the year, Gryffindor had won the cup. Ron had somehow managed to thrive out there on the pitch, and the Gryffindor victory excited all of my housemates.

However, while Ron had been spending his time partaking in frivolous sports, Hermione and Harry had followed Hagrid out to the Forbidden Forest, during which they learned that Hagrid had brought his brother, a giant, back to England with him. The giant, Grawp, was apparently now living in the forest.

I gaped at the pair when they relayed this back to Ron and myself. "And no one has _noticed_?"

Harry shrugged. "You're not the only one who's a little shocked."

I suppose we would have spent more time discussing the implications of Hagrid's decision, but as it was the warm sunshine of June was already beginning to bear down on us, and that meant OWLs were soon to be underway.

For once, Hermione's obsessive study habits were a help, because no sooner would Ron and I get off task, debating the supposed 'finer points' of Quidditch, then she would reign us in and force us to go over our Charms notes.

Revision is, by nature, a very boring pastime, but I certainly wasn't going to stop anytime soon. The OWLs to the wizarding world were like the SAT to the muggle one. In order to be a competitive student, it was absolutely necessary that I scored high.

And so, while younger students frolicked outside in the warm summer air, I spent my weekends fruitlessly toiling away at my desk, reading about the various goblin wars and the best ways to transfigure a spider.

The teachers were strict in their preparations. We took pretest after pretest in order to be ready for the test, and for the most part, I thought I did all right. The potions one, however...

No one passed. Failure permeated the pages of everyone's work as Snape passed it back, a sneer on his face. Hermione sat beside me, a look of total shock upon her face. "It appears," he said with a glint in his eyes. "That some of us need to be studying a little harder."

His words apparently had the desired affect, as everyone raced out of the room when class ended, presumably headed towards the library. I however approached Snape, my eyes narrowed. "There's no way that's as hard as the actual test."

He raised a brow at me. "And what makes you say that?"

"Well, even you're not _that_ bad of a teacher. Surely at least someone would have passed." A scowl slid onto my features. "You just made the test extra hard to scare people into studying."

His lips twitched, but he managed to school his features. "Perhaps I did."

"Oh my-" I threw my hands up. "Really? Why on _earth _would you do that?"

He blinked. "I would think my reasoning would be rather obvious, Miss Nouvelli."

"Yeah, I know that. But why did you make it so impossible to pass?" I shook my head. "Do you realize what this means? Hermione's going to think she's unprepared. She's going to be studying nonstop for this test."

"So?"

"_So_? I share a room with her! She's going to annoy me to death before I can even take the exam!"

* * *

The examiners arrived the night before our first test, Charms. I have to admit that I was slightly intimidated; the witches and wizards before us were powerful, their statuses in this world earned from years of hard work and great magical talent. And here they were, preparing to judge us, a group of unruly teenagers.

So no pressure, right?

Silence filled the fifth years the next morning at breakfast, and before we knew it, we were being led into the Great Hall, spread out so that we could quell the urge to collaborate with our peers. Professor Marchbanks, the lead proctor of the exam waited until we were all seated, our quills poised at the ready before she called out in her tiny voice: "Begin."

* * *

And so the week went by. We would spend an hour taking the written examination, break for lunch, and then spend half an hour with a specific examiner as we took the practical. While I think I did decently on the written part of the charms exam, the practical was, well... iffy.

My simple levitation charms had been flawless. My mutation charm on the other hand...

It's best not to think about it.

Transfiguration was the next day, and while I generally had no problems doing Transfiguration in class (due to my... shadowy ability), I found that I was not able to precisely describe some of the wand movements during the written section, and it was kind of depressing.

Herbology was third, and I was thankful for a test that didn't require any magic. My energy had been slowly depleted by the multitude of tests; I needed time to relax and meditate, as Snape kept asking me to do. The break in magic testing allowed for me to spend some time healing.

Despite my trepidation of being tested in the subject, my Defense Against the Dark Arts exam went rather well. During the written, I was able to accurately guess my way through most of the questions (since the common goal of every spell in defense class was, well, defense). And, thanks to both the DA and my special lessons with Snape, I was able to easily make my way through the practical exam.

The end of the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam brought about a sense of relief; I had the entire weekend left before I had any other testing. Finally, there was time for me to relax, to sleep, to spend time with my friends!

With only four exams left, many of the fifth years grew excited, and a sort of anticipation had built up within our year. As the weekend drew to a close and my classmates began frantically studying again, I went on my own personal mission, visiting Snape.

He raised an eyebrow upon my arrival, clearly surprised to see me at this time of the year. "I will _not_ help you study, Miss Nouvelli. I refuse to stoop that low."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please. Who do you think I am, Hermione? I don't need you to verify obscure facts for me."

He gazed back down at the essay he was scoring, slashing his quill across the page. "Then why are you here?"

"I need you to brew me a potion," I said slowly, exhaling as I spoke.

He looked up rather sharply, then, staring at me in wonder. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," I said, stepping closer to his desk. "I need you to brew me a potion."

He went back to his work. "You're OWL in potions is tomorrow. You're about to become an apprentice. I daresay you could probably manage yourself."

But I shook my head. "Actually, I can't. See, I was doing some research on this clairvoyance thing, and I came across this passage," I hesitated, pulling a book from my bag as I walked up to him. "There's this potion that obscures the special sight for Seers for a short amount of time. I have the recipe for you," I said, handing him the text, his eyes scanning the volume as I continued to speak. "It only takes a few hours to brew."

His eyes met mine once more. "And you need it?"

"Yes."

He tilted his head slightly, giving me an appraising look. "And why is that?"

"To dispel the rumors," I said honestly. "If I don't have my ability to 'see', then I'll fail the Divination exam. If I fail, then the rumor that I'm a Seer will go away."

His eyes narrowed. "And what makes you think I'll do this for you?"

"Because it could be the only thing that will protect me," I said simply. "And you know that I'm of more use to you alive than I am to you dead."

He paused for a moment, his upper lip curling as he peered at me. "I'll have it ready for you by tomorrow," he said at last. I smiled in thanks, turning to leave before he called me back. "And Miss Nouvelli?" I turned my head, staring back at him. "Good luck on your potions exam tomorrow."

I let out a small chuckle. "Thank you, sir."

* * *

As it turned out, luck wasn't really needed when it came to the potions exam. After a harrowing week of studying, it was nice to relax into the soothing activity of brewing. It felt almost easy.

On my way out of the dungeons where the exam was being held, I accidentally bumped shoulders with Snape. "Sorry, sir," I said, giving him a small smile as I moved past him.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Miss Nouvelli," he sniffed at me. "For not watching where you're going."

I rolled me eyes as he swept past me. Idiot.

However, upon making it back to my rooms, I discovered that he wasn't as big of an idiot as I'd thought. For there in my bag was a small vial with a note attached to it. It read:

_Mis Nouvelli-_

_I trust that you know what this is. Three drops should suffice. The potion should wear off eventually, though I don't know precisely how long it will take. Just in case, I've constructed the antidote, though I'd caution you against taking it unless absolutely necessary. Taking the antidote is, according to your text, a very painful experience. It is best to let your power return naturally. Drink with caution, Miss Nouvelli._

_S.S._

I shook my head. How brilliant. He was able to get the vial into my bag without my noticing. But then I froze, my mind replaying the events of the afternoon, and I scowled. "Ass," I muttered, as I remembered that he'd immediately taken off points from me.

* * *

Care of Magical Creatures, a class that I truly cared nothing about, was on Tuesday, and Divination took place on Wednesday.

The morning of the exam, I spiked my coffee with three drops of the colorless concoction Snape had created. I winced a little as I took it, though it didn't really have much of a taste. "Weird," I muttered, putting the vial back into my bag.

It took a few minutes before it went fully into effect, but when it did, I felt strangely disoriented. My senses were duller, my vision seemed to narrow, and I felt as though I was going blind. My sixth sense, if you will, my other sight, was gone. It felt like a part of me had gone with it.

_So this is what it's like to be normal,_ I mused as I stepped into the exam room, coming face to face with Marchbanks, my examiner for the day. In truth, I didn't really like it. As much as I bitched about my unique powers, I would much rather be able to see what was coming.

The exam went incredibly poorly; I think I might very well have done the worst in the history of the school. I'd never taken time to actually learn the crap that Trelawney had tried to teach us; due to my extra sight, I'd been able to get whatever she asked us correct without learning the material. But then?

Oh, I was so screwed.

"What do you see?" the proctor asked as I peered into my tea cup.

I blinked. _Uh, a bunch of smelly leaves that need to be tossed in the garbage?_ I thought. But I said, "There is someone that you will meet," I fibbed, looking closer into the cup. The tea smell wafted up into my nose... "Someone who is... tall."

Marchbanks blinked. "Anything else?" she asked.

"Yes," I said quickly. What else could I add? "He's incredibly handsome. But he doesn't love you... because he's dark! Yeah, he's a dark wizard. A tall, handsome, dark wizard."

Who says clichés are worthless?

She had just blinked at me, making a quick note on her clipboard. "Right, then," she muttered. "Moving on."

While that exam was terrible, I felt pretty confident that Astronomy wouldn't go too badly, and so when it came time later that night to take the exam, I headed up to the Astronomy Tower with a bit of confidence, Ron and Hermione beside me as Harry lagged slightly behind.

"I can't wait until this week is over," Ron murmured.

"I can't wait until this _day_ is over," I countered. My power had yet to return, and I was a little testy. I figured that if I was lucky, after I got some rest I would be back to normal.

But before I was given the opportunity to rest, I had to take that damn Astronomy test. For nearly an hour, I worked on my star chart, naming the positions of Venus and Jupiter respectively as I quickly positioned my telescope. However, near the end of the test, I noticed that Harry was no longer watching the sky, but was instead peering down towards the ground...

I followed his gaze, a little surprised to see that what appeared to be five ministry workers and a short, squat woman who I assumed was Umbridge march across the lawn, heading straight for...

"Hagrid," I heard Harry breath as he watched the scene before him.

A moment went by, in which silence filled the air, and then suddenly, a cry was heard. People jumped, grabbing onto the railings for support as they stared down at Hagrid's cabin, from which he emerged, a look of rage upon his face.

The proctor coughed. "Twenty minutes."

That seemed to remind everyone that there was work to be done. However, no sooner had most people bent over their star charts once more, then a loud _BANG_ echoed throughout the air. My head snapped once more towards Hagrid's cabin, and I was just in time to witness no fewer than six stunners cast at the half-giant.

"No!" Harry called out.

The proctor started. "Mr. Potter-"

"Come on, Hagrid-" we could hear someone from the grounds shout. And yet he continued to fight back, and they continued to shoot spells at him, attempting to bring him down-

"There!" Parvati cried, pointing back towards the entrance to the castle.

"Seventeen minutes!" The proctor exclaimed. But we ignored him, following Parvati's finger to see McGonagall running out towards the chaotic scene before us.

"What are you _doing_? How can you- How dare you!" she shouted. "Don't touch him! He has done _nothing_ to deserve this sort of-"

But she was cut off as four stunners, all particularly well-aimed, were shot directly at her, silencing her as she crumpled to a heap on the ground. "No!" Hermione yelled as around me, screams rang out.

"Dear Merlin," the proctor muttered, his mouth falling open as he witnessed the cruelty below.

My breath had caught in my throat. I should have seen this coming. I should have been able to see this, to warn them... If only I had my sight, I could have done something!

But the battle wasn't over with yet. As Hagrid began cursing the ministry officials back, he struck out, hitting at them. He reached down, grabbing his dog and picking him up before he turned and began to run for the school gates.

"Stop him!" Umbridge screamed.

But it was all in vain, because a moment later, he was gone, disappeared through the hazy night fog and into the darkness.

Silence fell over us as the ministry officials picked themselves up off of the floor and went back inside. After a moment's pause, however, the examiner spoke. "Well, um... Five minutes left."

* * *

"I can't believe her!"

That seemed to be the general consensus among the Gryffindors as we went back to the common room after our exam. We were all wondering how it was possible, how she could be so cruel...

"She didn't want to make another scene, like with Trelawney," Hermione said, a note of anger in her voice.

I snorted. "What, did she fear for her reputation?"

As were entered the common room, we were met with a whole crowd of people who had heard the ruckus on the grounds and were anxious to learn about what was going on. As Dean and Seamus filled them in, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I speculated.

"What I don't understand," Harry said slowly. "Is why now. Hagrid has been doing really well this year, and it's not as though his class is incredibly important-"

"But he's part human," Hermione pointed out. "Umbridge hates half-breeds, the awful woman. And she probably thinks he's too close to Dumbledore."

"I'm just worried about McGonagall," I muttered. "Four stunners... Geez, I hope she's all right."

But Hermione just shook her head. "So do I. But only time will tell."

* * *

Our final exam was History of Magic, and in all honesty, I was too zonked out from the previous night's activities that I really didn't care. While other fifth years spent their mornings sitting by the fire trying to study, I was collapsed on the couch, my head in my hands.

My sight had yet to return to me. The potion I had taken was still effecting my special vision, and I almost felt a little nauseous. I hated it; I felt as though I was blind. I had grown so used to being able to see the future, that this was torturous.

Before long, I was actually sitting in the Great Hall, taking the exam. There were many opinion questions on the exam, which made me happy because they required little to no knowledge about the subject at hand. There were some questions that were easy for me, but many of them came from the first three years of the curriculum, and I hadn't been at Hogwarts to formally learn the material. I was at a distinct disadvantage.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

I turned in my seat, my eyes searching out Harry as I recognized his scream. He lay on the ground, panting, his eyes wide with shock. As a proctor ushered him quickly out the door, Marchbanks turned back to us. "You have ten minutes left," she said sternly.

While most of the students turned back to their work, I let a breath out, a frown marring my features. Something was happening, something that I should have been privy to, if only I could see the future like normal.

* * *

"What happened?" Hermione asked once the exam had ended and we'd found Harry, grasping the boy's arm. "Are you all right?"

"We need to talk," he said quickly, pulling us down the hall.

"Harry-" Ron protested.

"Now!"

We followed him down the first floor corridor, down to an empty classroom which he quickly pushed us through, shutting the door behind him. "Harry-" Ron began again.

But Harry interrupted. "Voldemort has Sirius."

I could feel my eyes widen. "_What_?"

"They're at the Department of Mysteries," he said, beginning to pace.

"How can you-"

"I saw them," he said, waving the question away. "Just now. He was torturing-"

"Then we need to tell someone," Hermione said calmly. "Professor McGonagall-"

"Is conveniently at St. Mungo's," Harry snapped. "We're all that's left. We have to leave now."

Ron blinked. "Leave?"

"Yes. To save Sirius!"

"Harry," Hermione said gently. "He might not even be there-"

"I saw him, Hermione!"

"Okay, but then how did he get into the ministry?" she asked.

"Yeah," I contributed. "I mean, I know they're all incompetent, but _someone_ must have noticed if a bald man with no nose just waltzed into the Department of Mysteries with a hostage-"

"I just know!" he bellowed.

"Harry," she pleaded. "You're just having nightmares-"

"Then how did I know about Ron's dad?" he demanded, glaring at Hermione. "How did I know that he was going to die? How did I know what happened to him?" he asked, stepping closer to her.

Ron bit his lip. "He's right, Hermione."

She began to look desperate. "But Sirius is at Grimmauld Place-"

"Unless," I countered, playing Devil's Advocate. "He left out of boredom. Maybe he thought he wouldn't get caught." It was something he'd do. Worry flowed through me as I realized that Harry's godfather could be dying...

"Then we need proof," Hermione said forcefully. "We can't just run off!"

Harry turned to me then, his eyes pleading with me. "Avery," he began.

But I shook my head, as my eyes widened in horror. What had I done? "I'm so sorry, Harry. I took a potion to remove my Seer abilities. It was supposed to be only for the Divination exam, but it still hasn't worn off."

Harry fell back against the wall. "You can't see him?"

"I can't see anyone," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"Then we just have to go," he said with determination, standing up straight again.

"But what if it's a trap," Hermione protested.

"It's not a-"

"Harry, Voldemort knows that you'll go to any length to save Sirius. He knows you could never let anyone die. He's trying to lure you out-"

"And he'll succeed," he said, stepping towards the door.

"Harry, you can't go-"

"I HAVE TO SAVE HIM, HERMIONE! WHY CAN'T YOU BLOODY UNDERSTAND THAT? HE'S THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT!" he yelled, spinning around to glare at her.

She faltered. "I'm not-"

She was cut off as the door to the classroom opened. Ginny and Luna stepped through, searching expressions upon their faces. "Hi," Ginny said, raising an eyebrow. "That is one powerful set of lungs you have, Harry." She turned to me. "Who does he have to save?"

"None of your busin-"

"Sirius Black," I interjected. "He thinks Voldemort has him."

"What?" Ginny exclaimed, her eyes going wide.

"The rock star?" Luna asked in a dazed manner.

"You two need to leave," Harry said curtly.

"But wait," Hermione said slowly, staring off into the distance. "They can help. If we can find out if Sirius is at Grimmauld Place-"

"He's not!"

"Hey!" she said, her eyes snapping back to his face. "Humor me, I beg of you. If we can prove that he's not home by attempting to contact him through Umbridge's fireplace, then we can run off to London. But until then, we need to look at this rationally."

He bit the inside of his cheek, still furious with us for not immediately believing him. "Fine."

"Good," Hermione said in relief, bringing her hands together. "Good. Then Ron, will you go distract Umbridge? And Ginny and Luna, act as lookouts while Harry, Avery, and I sneak into the office to contact Sirius?"

"Of course-"

"You're going to have to go without me," I said, hurrying over to the door.

Harry blocked my path. "Are you ducking out? What, you don't believe me? You don't believe that I saw Sirius? Or do you not care enough about him?"

"On the contrary," I said coolly, pushing past him. "I do care. That's why I'm going to get the antidote to the potion I ingested earlier so that I can writhe in pain on the floor, but be able to tell you with absolute certainty where Sirius is, and how many Death Eaters are holding him."

* * *

Hey! So I finished this one much faster than I thought I would. The next chapter should be up by next weekend.

Part of the reason I finished this chapter so quickly was because I was motivated. I plan on doing a sequel to this one covering the events of the sixth book, and I've been searching for a title for the longest time. Well, I saw the So You Think You Can Dance tour the other day, and it was during one of the numbers that I had an epiphany and the title came to me. I'm not going to say what it is yet, though I will tell you that it's the name of a song that Kent danced to on both the tour and the show, and that it fits parts of the plot of the sequel perfectly... So take your guesses! I'm interested to see what you think it is.

If you're bored and looking for something to read, check out my Nanowrimo story for this year called Fragments, The chapters are short, and I'm posting the third one tomorrow, so you haven't missed anything. Check it out! And a special thanks to Invierna for reading and reviewing it!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, ColdMartini, hiphophottie, SerbiaTakesCntrl, Unconquerable, julieakaweirdo, XxX Fred Weasley's Wife XxX, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	18. The Rescue Mission

_Previously..._

_"Good," Hermione said in relief, bringing her hands together. "Good. Then Ron, will you go distract Umbridge? And Ginny and Luna, act as lookouts while Harry, Avery, and I sneak into the office to contact Sirius?"_

_"Of course-"_

_"You're going to have to go without me," I said, hurrying over to the door._

_Harry blocked my path. "Are you ducking out? What, you don't believe me? You don't believe that I saw Sirius? Or do you not care enough about him?"_

_"On the contrary," I said coolly, pushing past him. "I do care. That's why I'm going to get the antidote to the potion I ingested earlier so that I can writhe in pain on the floor, but be able to tell you with absolute certainty where Sirius is, and how many Death Eaters are holding him."_

_

* * *

_

I disappeared into the shadows, transforming into my formless being so I could quickly move throughout the castle. Within minutes I was down in the dungeons, flying towards Snape's classroom. I glanced around, unsure of whether or not I was being watched. If only I was still clairvoyant and could _see_ if anyone was around...

I solidified anyway, knocking urgently on Snape's door, not letting up until he opened it. A scowl was on his face as he saw that it was me on the other side. "Cease your insistent pounding, Miss Nouvel- What in the name of Merlin-"

I had pushed past him, hurrying into his classroom. "I need the antidote," I said, spinning around to look at him.

He paused, before slowly shutting the door and warding it. He faced me slowly, his left eyebrow raised. "And why, may I ask, is your... unique power so important right now that you'd be willing to risk the alleged unbearable pain that comes with taking the antidote?"

"Because Harry dreamt that Voldemort kidnapped Sirius Black and is currently torturing him in the Department of Mysteries," I said quickly.

All pretenses of amusement dropped from Snape's face as he stared at me with what, for him, appeared to be a look of astonishment. "_What_?"

My heart dropped. "Your master didn't tell you about this plan?"

He shook his head. "No."

I sucked in a deep breath. "Harry's going to go after him. He's trying to get into contact with him. But if he can't, he'll go to London..."

We moved together at once, him striding quickly forward towards the back of his classroom, to where the door to his office was. "Quickly," he said as he went through the door.

I took his words to heart, following after him as he went past his desk and to another door at the back of his office. Pulling out his wand, he muttered a few incantations before the door swung open, and he motioned for me to follow.

A potions lab lay on the other side of the door, and I got the feeling that these were his private labs. Another door was on the wall of the far side of the room, and I wondered if that door led to his rooms...

He marched over to a cabinet, opening the door and muttering to himself as he shifted through the contents. I bit my lip as nervous energy coursed through me. "Do you have the antidote?"

"It should be here somewhere," he said quietly in answer to my question. "I made it the other night-"

But he cut himself off, as from his classroom, there came an urgent knocking. We both froze, as if we were hoping that if we didn't move, the knocking would desist. But it didn't, and after a moment, Snape turned to me. "You're not here," he said in his low voice. "Do you understand? _You can't be seen_. You're not here."

I nodded once. "Got it," I whispered, before I faded into the shadows.

He moved swiftly, crossing the room and exiting to his office, and then to his classroom in a matter of seconds. I followed behind him, hearing the loud _slam_ of the doors behind me as they shut of their own accord.

He pulled open the door, glaring down at the intruder. "Yes," he said icily to the gleeful form of Draco Malfoy.

Wait, gleeful? Uh-oh...

"Professor Umbridge wants to see you in her office immediately, Professor," he said with a rather large smile. "Something about some Gryffindors who are far too nosy for their own good."

My heart sank. No. She'd caught them. Snape nodded at the boy. "Let me grab my cloak," he said simply, turning back to face the room as he summoned the article of clothing in question. As his gaze swept the room, his eyes locked on the darkest shadow that I happened to be hiding in. His lips barely moved, but I saw him mouth the word _Stay_ before he turned to leave.

But I didn't listen. The door was almost shut behind him when I managed to sneak out, following the pair as they traipsed up the stairs and towards the office of Dolores Umbridge.

Fear filled me as we approached the room, and I couldn't help but worry about my friends. What would happen to them now? Draco entered first, followed closely by Snape. I drifted in after, my eyes coming to rest on Harry and the others being held by the Inquisitorial Squad as the Slytherins jabbed their wands into my friends' necks. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna... Even Neville had somehow managed to get involved. And they were all being held captive.

Snape blinked, his eyes smoldering with anger for a minute as they drifted over me. He knew I was here. I pushed even deeper into the shadows, hoping that no one else could tell...

His face was an impenetrable mask once more as he spoke to Umbridge. "You asked to see me?" he said, an expression of annoyed indifference overtaking his features.

"I need some of your Veritaserum, Professor Snape," she said sweetly. "I have some... troublemakers to interrogate."

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid that's not possible, headmistress. You took the last of my stock to question Potter earlier in the month." I remembered him telling me this, that Umbridge wanted even more...

"Then go make some," she snapped, all pretenses of civilized sweetness gone.

His lip curled up. "Of course, headmistress," he drawled. "I'll have it ready for you in a month."

"_A month_? I need it now! I have to learn who Potter has been communicating with!"

"You could always poison Potter," he said with a small smirk. "However, he would, unfortunately, by dead before you could garner any useful information from him. That would also, unfortunately, lead to many awkward inquiries at the ministry..."

Harry was staring intently at Snape, and I wondered if he was mentally cursing the potions master for giving her that idea. It definitely seemed like something she would consider. "You are on probation!" she screeched, her hair flying out at odd angles. "For refusing to cooperate with a ministry search!"

He sneered back at her as he moved to step from the room. "Of course," he said, his hand on the doorknob.

Suddenly, Harry spoke. "He's got Padfoot!" he yelled. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

I blinked, realizing that when Harry had been glaring at Snape earlier, it hadn't been out of malice, but rather as an attempt to communicate with him the danger Sirius was in.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge said, turning with excitement to Snape. "What is a Padfoot? Snape, what's he saying?" My heart sunk in my chest. They'd checked. He really wasn't there. He was gone.

But he just played it cool, giving Umbridge a blank look as he answered her. "No idea," he said before he stared into the corner I was hiding in, and turned and left the office. I knew that he wanted me to follow him, but I couldn't do it. I didn't need my power now. Not when we knew that Sirius was gone. I had to stay with Harry. He needed me.

But we were on our own.

"Well then," Umbridge said, her breath coming out in short little gasps. "I suppose... this is the only choice. I have to... If you were speaking with Dumbledore... or Black."

"I didn't speak to ether of them," Harry grumbled.

"Quiet!" Umbridge said, giving him a shake as she pulled out her wand. "You _will_ tell me what I want to know. The Cruciatus Curse ought to be enough of an incentive-"

"Professor!" Hermione cried out. "You can't! It's illegal-"

"It's only illegal if you get caught," she responded, raising her wand, much to the joy of the Slytherins behind her. She took a deep breath. "Cru-"

"Wait!" Hermione cried out. "Wait! We'll tell you, we'll tell you everything!"

"No!" Harry screamed.

Personally, I was in agreement with Boy Wonder. What the _hell _could Hermione be thinking? There was no way the old toad could help us. This could only lead to trouble...

She began to cry, her face buried in her hands. "We don't have a choice," she choked out.

"Mmm!" Ron protested through the gag that bound his mouth.

"Go on then," Umbridge said, stepping closer to her. "Tell me what you know."

"We were trying to get into contact with Professor Dumbledore!" she cried out, her face still hidden by her hands.

As everyone froze at her proclamation, I couldn't quell the feeling of amusement that snuck up on me. Of course she had a plan. Hermione always had a plan.

"Where is he?" Umbridge demanded, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Where is he hiding, girl?"

"We don't know!" she choked out. "We've looked and looked, but we can't find him anywhere! He's gone-"

"Well of course _you_ can't find him!" Umbridge snapped. "If even the Ministry can't locate him, there's no possible way a bunch of _children_ can."

"But we need to tell him that his w-weapon is ready!" she stuttered. I mentally blinked. Hm. This was certainly an interesting lie she'd concocted.

"Weapon?" she said faintly. "There's a weapon? One to be used against the Ministry?"

"Y-yes. And we h-have to t-tell him about it, b-but he's now g-gone-"

"Show it to me," Umbridge demanded. "Now. Take me to it."

She rubbed at her eyes a bit, probably to make them appear red, as if she really had been crying. "I refuse to show the S-Slytherins!"

"You don't make the rules!"

"Fine then," she cried out. "Let's see just how long it takes for them to learn to use it on you!"

"All right," Umbridge said quickly. "All right, then. Let's go, just the two of us and... Potter. That's it," she spoke up as Malfoy made an effort to protest. "Let's go now. You two," she gestured toward Hermione and Harry. "Lead on. Go."

They went, going ahead of her, Harry glancing quickly back at his friends before they exited the room, Umbridge shutting the door behind them. I could have followed after them, but I knew that Hermione wouldn't let anything bad happen; she had to know what she was doing. So I stayed behind, focusing my attention on those being held captive.

Malfoy was sneering. "Bet you wish you could be with the little Mudblood and Potter, eh Weasley? You'd give anything to follow after them and be their little sidekick."

"Mmmm!" Ron protested, glaring at the ferret.

Malfoy laughed. "Well as eloquent as you are, it's no wonder that they've left you up here to face your demise."

I needed to do something to get them free. We had to escape, to go to Harry and Hermione... I drifted closer to the door as Malfoy kept talking. "I can't believe he even included you in his plan, to be frank," Malfoy continued. "Potter must be daft to think you can do anything without getting caught-"

Without warning, I flung open the door, materializing as I did so to make it look as though I'd burst through the door. I stunned Ginny's captor before he had time to react, and in a second, she was lunging forward, grabbing her wand and sending a hex at Malfoy.

"You filthy little blood-traitor!" he snarled, slashing out with his wand. He cut her across the check, and she stumbled back, but in a second he was stunned and on the floor.

Meanwhile, Neville had managed to worm his way free and had obtained his wand. He was currently freeing Luna as Ron got hit in the mouth. He glared at Crabbe as blood flowed from his wound, before he disarmed the thug, blasting him with his wand so that he hit his head against a table, collapsing.

He grinned at me as he tried to slow the bleeding. "Perfect timing."

"Indeed," I agreed, glancing around at the nest of unconscious Slytherins that littered the floor. "We need to find Harry and Hermione."

"Any ideas of where they might go?" Neville asked, rubbing at his eye where Goyle had hit him.

I closed my eyes, shaking my head. If only I could see the future again... "Not a clue."

"They're on their way to the Forbidden Forest," Luna said suddenly.

We all stared at her in surprise. "How do you know that?" Ginny asked.

"Because I can see them," she said, leaning out the window and pointing towards the trees. "Look."

Indeed, the two of them were making their way outside and into the darkness of the forest. "Well then," I said quickly, heading towards the door. "Let's go."

* * *

"They should be this way," Luna said, peering at the ground as she followed their footprints.

Neville shook his head. "I can't believe you know how to track people."

"Of course," Luna said brightly. "Daddy and I went tracking nargles in Romania last summer. I know exactly what I'm doing."

Ron and I exchanged amused glances as we came around the bend, Harry and Hermione's voices becoming audible. "-Wands," Hermione's light voice was saying. "We don't even know how we'll get there!"

"That's a good point, Harry," Ron said, stepping forward as Harry turned to face him in surprise. "How _are _we going to get away?"

Hermione blanched, peering over Ron's shoulder at the rest of us. She and Harry were both covered in blood... "How on _earth _did you manage to get away?"

He shrugged. "Avery surprised them. It gave us a chance to take them out. Neville used a great Impediment Jinx, actually," he said, giving Harry his wand. "But what about you two? Where's Umbridge?"

"The centaurs carried her off," Harry said quickly as Ron handed Hermione her wand. "We need to get to London."

"Is he still alive?" I asked.

"Yes." He paused. "I guess that means you still can't see anything?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm still blind."

Neville blinked. "What?"

But Harry ignored him. "Okay, then we need to find some way to get to London. We can't apparate- partly because we don't know how- and the fires are off limits-"

"So we fly," Luna said simply.

"No, _we_ don't," Harry corrected. "_You_ take Neville and Ginny and go back to the castle-"

"Hold on!" Ginny argued. "I want to rescue Sirius too!"

"But you're too young," Ron interrupted, giving his sister a glare.

But the redheaded witch just scoffed. "Says the one who broke into the Chamber of Secrets at twelve to fight a giant snake!"

"Yeah, and to rescue you!"

"We're in the DA," Neville pointed out. "So that we can fight well and help people. If you didn't want us to be able to help, then you shouldn't have started the club in the first place."

"But-"

"Let us help," Luna said simply.

Frustration seemed to overcome him as he glanced at the others. "Harry," I said softly, causing him to glance up at me. "We don't have time for this. Let them come."

"Fine," Harry said, gritting his teeth. "Though this conversation is pointless, seeing as how we have absolutely _no_ way of getting there!"

"We can fly," Luna said once more.

"Without brooms?" Ron said skeptically. "Tell us, Luna. Is there some magical beast that will come and carry us all the way to London willingly?"

"Well," she said, gesturing off to the right. "Yes."

I looked over, and there coming towards us were two thestrals. Their long dark manes were blowing in the wind as they crept closer to us, heading over to Harry and Hermione as Harry quickly reached out with a hand to stroke its back. "Awesome," I muttered.

"What's there?" Ron asked, peering into the darkness. "I don't see anything."

"Obviously not, Ron," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. She turned to Harry. "They're thestrals, right?"

He nodded. "But only two. So Ron and I will go first, and then the rest of you will follow-"

"Wait a minute," I said, holding up a hand. "I'm not going to wait-"

"Neither am I!" Hermione said with indignation.

"This doesn't matter," Luna spoke up.

I blanched. "The hell it doesn't-"

"No," she said with a small shake of her head. "I mean that there's no reason to argue. More are coming this way right now."

Sure enough, seven more thestrals were hurrying out of the forests, drawn to the smell of blood... "Fine," Harry snapped. "But hurry. We need to leave right now!"

* * *

Something of importance that I learned that night: I hated flying. With a passion. There was something about hurtling at an impossible speed hundreds of feet in the air that was bone-chilling, and in truth, it was an experience that I really didn't want to repeat. I spent the majority of the ride holding on for dear life, my eyes squeezed shut in the hopes that the thestrals knew where they were going, just wishing that the ride would end...

When we finally reached the ground, I was tempted to kiss the pavement, I was so happy to be on my own feet again, but there was no time. No sooner had we landed then Harry was pulling us all towards a broken telephone booth on the corner of the street.

"Harry," I said quickly. "I don't think the phone works-"

But he shoved us all inside, closing the door behind us and dialing on the receiver anyway. A mechanical voice spoke to us. "Please state your name and your business here at the Ministry of Magic."

Harry tensed, his voice coming out in quick spurts as he spoke fast. "Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Avery Nouvelli, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood, and we're all here to save someone, so let us through!"

"Thank you," the voice said, as seven small badges appeared before us with our names on them. "Have a nice day," it said as a whirring sound indicated that we were moving away from the surface and towards the underground facility of the Ministry.

"This way!" Harry exclaimed as we reached the bottom and the door opened. A wide atrium met my vision, but I didn't have time to look around. Harry was already sprinting towards the lift at the end of the hall. Ginny and I exchanged glances, but quickly ran to keep up; we didn't want to get left behind.

We travelled in silence, Harry nervously tapping his foot as we went deeper and deeper into the Ministry. The mechanical voice sounded out once more as the lift reached its destination. "Department of Mysteries."

We stepped out of the lift, suddenly aware that we were breaking so many rules just by being there... We moved quickly as a unit down the hall and towards the door at the end. But Harry stopped, to my surprise. "Someone should stay here," Harry muttered, turning to Ginny and Luna. "Stand guard-"

"Just open the door," Ginny said firmly with a small glare.

He sighed but complied, throwing open the door and stepping into a large circular room, filled with over a dozen doors. We followed after him. "This is spooky," I murmured as Neville shut the door behind him.

No sooner had the door shut then the room began to rotate, spinning around and around as the door blurred. I clutched onto Ginny's hand as we stood frozen, unwilling to move. The spinning slowed, and at last stopped, but we were faced with a big problem.

"Guys?" I asked. "Which door did we come from?"

"And which one are we going to?" Hermione asked.

There was silence as the most basic level of how screwed we all were began to sink in. Then, Harry spoke. "We might as well try a few doors," he said, stepping forward and opening one.

We exchanged glances, but followed after him. "He's determined, isn't he?" I muttered to Hermione. But I suppose I couldn't blame him; I liked Sirius too. I didn't want him to die.

"What the..." Ron exclaimed in surprise.

Looking up, I noticed a big case of slimy looking white objects that floated inside a pool of dark water. "What the hell are they?" I asked.

"Brains," Hermione whispered. "Human brains."

We all looked at each other, before following after Harry. "This definitely isn't right," he said quickly, already moving out of the room. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

We hurried back into the circular room, but before Hermione closed the door, she cast a spell at it under her breath. A large red X appeared on the door, marking it for us. "Brilliant," Ginny breathed.

"Come on," Harry motioned, moving towards the door directly across from us.

The room was large with big stone benches laid out all around it. Stairs led down to a lower level, where a stone tableau lay, a large black veil fluttered around it. A light whispering sound seemed to fill the room, and an ominous feeling that had nothing to do with my premonitions came over me.

"Hello?" Harry called out, taking a few steps down the stairs. "Sirius?"

"Harry," Hermione whispered, reaching out to grab his arm. "Come on. This isn't right-"

"Who's there?"

"No one, Harry," Hermione said desperately, pulling at his arm. But that couldn't be...

"There has to be someone," I muttered. "Unless this is magic of some sort."

"Of course it's magic," Harry agreed. "But what's the purpose?"

"The people are calling out to us," Luna said, joining us in a line. "They're there, trying to speak to us-"

"We need to save Sirius!" Hermione asserted, shaking Harry and I at the same time.

Harry recovered first. "Right. Come on!"

We went back into the room. "Well," I called out. "Go on, then. Third time's a charm."

And it was. As Harry pushed on the door, it gave way to a small room filled with diamond-like lights... "Here!" Harry cried, bolting through it. We hurried after him, running to keep up as he went quickly through the hallway and towards a door at the other end. "This way," he said pushing the door open and leading us into another room filled with hundreds upon hundreds of shelves... "Row 97," he called out.

"This way!" Hermione whispered, pointing t the right. "Come on."

"Wands out," Harry said softly as he began to move again, this time creeping forward instead of running. We followed his lead, our eyes darted down the various rows as we passed them. We were getting closer...

"Ninety-seven," Ron muttered as we stopped in front of an empty row...

"He's at the end," Harry said, moving forward at a quicker pace.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered.

We followed after him as he frantically began to move down the hall, before stopping randomly, looking around him. "He should be here."

"He's not, Harry," I said calmly.

"But he should be-"

"Harry," Ron said a little louder.

"Not you too-"

"No," he said, his voice taking on a strange tone. I stepped closer to him. What was going on... "This right here... It's got your name on it."

Harry looked taken aback as he moved closer to Ron and the orb he was pointing at. "What?" he murmured, reaching out with his hand to grab the small object.

"Don't," Hermione said sharply. "Harry, you don't know what it is-"

"But my name's on it," he said, moving as if he was in a trance. I could feel Hermione tense up beside me as his fingers closed around the orb, lifting it up off of the shelf. "See," he said to Hermione as he stared at the thing. "Nothing happened."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," a voice behind us said triumphantly. I spun around, bringing my wand to point at the face of the blonde Death Eater, but it was too late. Half a dozen of them already surrounded us and we were being backed into a corner. "Go on, now. Give it to me."

* * *

Hello my faithful readers! I hope you are all enjoying your week before Thanksgiving! This story is, as I'm sure you've noticed by now, coming to a close. I've already begun the next chapter, so it should be up by next weekend. After that comes another chapter and the epilogue. And then... the sequel to the sequel!

Yay.

Thank you all for your support; I really enjoy reading all of the comments you have about these chapters; they make my day!

If you're bored and looking for something to read, check out my Nanowrimo story for this year called Fragments, The chapters are short, and I'm posting the third one tomorrow, so you haven't missed anything. Check it out! And a special thanks to Invierna for reading and reviewing it!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, GumiBeaOnAShortBus, ColdMartini, SerbiaTakesCntrl, julieakaweirdo, laurelley, and arrowheadhunter. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	19. The Prophecy

_Previously..._

_Harry looked taken aback as he moved closer to Ron and the orb he was pointing at. "What?" he murmured, reaching out with his hand to grab the small object._

_"Don't," Hermione said sharply. "Harry, you don't know what it is-"_

_"But my name's on it," he said, moving as if he was in a trance. I could feel Hermione tense up beside me as his fingers closed around the orb, lifting it up off of the shelf. "See," he said to Hermione as he stared at the thing. "Nothing happened."_

_"I wouldn't be so sure of that," a voice behind us said triumphantly. I spun around, bringing my wand to point at the face of the blonde Death Eater, but it was too late. Half a dozen of them already surrounded us and we were being backed into a corner. "Go on, now. Give it to me."_

_

* * *

_

"Shit," I muttered as I felt my back press up against the shelves behind us. Death Eaters were everywhere, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they attacked us. Their wands were drawn, and besides me, I could feel Ginny swallow in fear. We were trapped. Hell, this entire thing had _been _a trap.

We were so screwed.

"Come now, Potter," Lucius Malfoy spoke once more. "Surely you don't need me to repeat my instructions once more? Give me the orb."

But Harry ignored him. "Where's Sirius?"

Malfoy laughed, along with a couple of other Death Eaters. "He's probably safe at home, curled up before the fire with a book, Potter. He was never here. But of course, you didn't know that."

"But you have him," Harry protested. "I know you have him-"

"It was just a dream, Potter," Malfoy said, a note of impatience in his voice. "Now _give me the prophesy!_"

My breath caught in my throat as his words registered with me. A prophecy? It wasn't... It couldn't be- But no, I realized with a slight sense of relief. They weren't here about the Ultimate Power prophecy. Harry's name was on this one; it had nothing to do with me.

But this didn't quell my fears; if anything, it increased them. There was no way in hell that Harry was going to give Malfoy that orb, which meant that the Death Eaters would be spending a lot of time here in order to retrieve it, which meant that the prophecy about myself might be discovered...

Swell.

"You can walk away right now, Potter," Malfoy said through his teeth. "You and your little friends. Just give me the prophecy."

To my surprise, Harry actually chuckled. "Of course. There's no way you'll kill us once you get the prophecy. How silly of me."

"Fine," a female voice said, speaking up from within the depths of the throng of Death Eaters. She stepped forward, her long, unruly black hair trailing down her shoulders. "We can work with your failure to comply." She gestured towards Ginny. "Take her."

I stepped closer to Ginny as a Death Eater moved to grab her, putting myself in between the hooded freaks and Ron's sister. Harry spoke quickly, his voice eerily calm, though his mind appeared to be racing. "You touch her," he said, holding up the prophecy. "And I smash this. Your master would probably be a little annoyed by the turn of events, you know." They said nothing, but they stayed where they were, eyeing him warily as he continued to speak. "What does the prophecy say?"

He was stalling for time. It was so obvious that not even the Death Eaters would fall for it. And yet... "Surely you must know," the woman said, a frown on her face.

"I wouldn't have asked if I did," he said, his eyes roaming over them. "So why does Voldemort want it?"

Her face twisted into a look of rage as she pulled out her wand, pointing it directly at him. "How _dare_ you! How dare you speak his name! _Stupef-"_

"Stop!" Malfoy yelled, shielding Harry from the woman's spell and causing it to crash into one of the shelves, breaking a prophecy in the process. A silvery figure protruded from the glass orb, it's voice empty of words, but sounding haunting to my own ears.

"You'll destroy the prophecy! We need it, Bellatrix," Malfoy growled.

While the social dynamics of the Death Eaters' inner workings was interesting, my attention had been diverted back to Harry, who was currently attempting to work his foot backwards as he determinedly kept his gaze on Malfoy, almost as if he didn't want to be caught looking away...

And then I realized: he had a plan.

Thank god. I had been starting to think death was imminent.

"So tell me about that prophecy," Harry asked, almost conversationally. His foot came into contact with Hermione's, and I could hear her hiss out, "What?"

Malfoy sneered. "If I knew of the details, Potter, then I wouldn't need to retrieve it."

Harry nodded. "I suppose that's true. Still, have a guess. Why does your master want it? What does it contain?"

Hermione whispered again, "What?"

An amused look befell Malfoy's face as he stepped back in triumph. "Here now," he said, glancing back to his Death Eaters. "It appears that Dumbledore has yet to fill you in on the reason for your unhappy childhood."

Harry blinked. "What?"

Hermione too, thought that this was an appropriate sentiment. "_What_?"

"I suppose," Malfoy continued speaking, taking a step back.

And then Harry began to mutter, his lips so still that they appeared to be nailed shut. "Smash the prophecies-"

"This may very well be why it's taken so long to get you into the Ministry," Malfoy mused.

"-when I say go-"

"We assumed you'd come earlier," he continued, oblivious to the plotting occurring before him. "Once we realized that you weren't going to arrive on your own, we realized that we needed... alternative methods."

Harry, despite the tension in the room, made a face. "And it had to be today? Really? I was in the middle of one of my OWLs! You couldn't have waited until tonight?"

"Don't worry, Potter," Malfoy said softly. "It doesn't matter. For after tonight, your OWLs will be, unfortunately, buried with your ashes." He paused, eyeing those of us behind him. "As will the scores of your frie-"

"NOW!"

My friends pulled out their wands, and in one moment they were shooting curses at various shelves, causing the prophecies to smash and the pearly white specters to appear...

My method was a lot simpler. Instead of shooting spells, I pulled deep down into my core, letting my anger consume me and, stepping back, I set fire to the shelf we had been trapped against.

Well it would certainly serve as the distraction we needed to escape.

"Run!" Harry screamed, grabbing onto Hermione's robe as fire rained down around us. Death Eaters darted for cover as the shelves swayed, glass crunching under our feet. I followed directly after Ron and Luna, Ginny right behind me as we hurried back the way we'd come. I could hear the Death Eaters behind us shouting, and I picked up the pace; we had to get away.

"The door," I heard Ron gasp as he wrenched open the wooden door before us. "Come on- Ahhh!"

He disappeared, Luna falling right after him. I paused, a little concerned about the scream Ron gave before he went in, but moments later, Ginny gave me a little push, "They're right behind us," she screamed.

And then I was falling.

I didn't fall very far, though I did tumble head over heels a couple of times. After a moment, though, I stopped. My feet weren't touching, the ground, I was just... floating. "What is this place?" Luna muttered, her eyes searching the depths of the room.

We were in complete blackness, a faint light coming from the door we'd fallen through. I turned my head to the side, squinting off into the distance... "What's that?" I asked, pointing towards a yellowish light across the room.

The light grew as we hovered in mid-air, and a second one seemed to join it, a bluer one- "They're planets," Luna breathed. "That's Venus, and Neptune... And there's Saturn-"

"Oh no," Ginny muttered, propelling herself closer to us with her hands. "You guys, Harry's not here. Hermione, Neville... We've been separated."

"They must have got the right way," Ron said, giving the room a quick glance as he shook his head. "We obviously didn't come from this direction."

"Hey! They're down here!"

I looked sharply up towards the door, a snarl on my face as the outline of the Death Eaters became present. "We need to leave now."

"How?" Ginny asked. "It's pitch black, there's no way out-"

"_Lumos,"_ Luna muttered in answer, her eyes sweeping the dark corners of the room as she shone her wand against the darkness. "There," she said, pointing to a small door across the way. "Let's go," she said, dosing the light.

Ron looked at her in awe. "So _that's _why you're a Ravenclaw."

A _whooshing_ sound became apparent, and I looked back in time to see a Death Eater falling down, down... "Move!" I yelled, swimming with my arms towards the door.

We went as fast as we could, kicking with our legs and swinging our arms to hurry us along. It was slow going, but the Death Eaters weren't much faster. At least, that's what we thought...

"Ahh!"

I looked over my shoulder; one of the Death Eaters had Ginny by the ankle and was pulling her back towards him as he reached for his wand- "_Reducto!_" I heard Luna shout as she hit the hooded figure with a curse. He shot backward, hitting the wall as Ginny moaned.

A flash of blue light shot past me, hitting Ron in the chest, as he gasped, a small laugh coming from his mouth- "Ron!" I called. But he just continued to laugh-

"_Stupefy!"_

Ginny deflected the curse, sending her own hex towards the attacker while she held onto her ankle. Luna backed her up. "_Petrificus Totalis_!" He fell backwards, his body completely bound. "Two down," she muttered.

I grabbed my wand, channelling my energy as I held Ginny by the arm, using the muscles I'd garnered from dance to move us backwards. "Let's go," I told Luna as she took Ron's arm, forcing him to come with us as the remaining Death Eaters advanced. I waited until they were behind me, the door within an arm's reach as I let go of my energy, pushing it through the tip of my wand as fire sprang up before me, the room igniting in a blaze as the Death Eaters, howled, trying to put it out...

I collapsed through the door, gravity taking hold of us once more as we stumbled through. "Shut it!" I exclaimed as Luna slammed the door, locking it with her wand.

"We have to move," she said, giving me a long look.

"Ron!" We turned with relief to see Harry and Neville hurrying towards us, carrying an unconscious Hermione... At least, I hoped she was unconscious; I couldn't tell for certain, and without my power, I had no way to see... "Ginny, Avery, Luna- What happened?"

"Ha ha!" Ron laughed, stepping forward to grab Harry's arm. "We found you! We found you, Harry!"

"Ginny?" Harry asked, a feigned sort of calm in his voice. "What... What-"

But she had collapsed against a wall, her face white as she held onto her ankle. "I think it's broken," Luna spoke up, nodding towards Ginny. "Some Death Eater grabbed it. I don't think we have to worry about them, though. Avery set them on fire."

Harry nodded gratefully to me, though he glanced back at Ron. "And he-"

"Got hit with something," I answered, reaching forward to steady him as he continued to chuckle. "But I don't know what."

"Harry! We saw Uranus. Get it, Harry? Ha ha, Uranus!"

"What about Hermione?" I asked, gesturing towards her. "Is she-"

"She's alive."

I nodded once to show my understanding before I turned back to Luna. "We need to get out of here. Help Ginny."

"Of course."

"I'm fine-" the redhead said, standing up, before she was forced to lean heavily against the Ravenclaw girl. "Or not," she muttered, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I'll take Ron," Harry said, holding onto his best friend. "We've got to-"

"There!' Bellatrix said, bursting through a door across the way with half a dozen Death Eaters behind her.

"Crap," I muttered, helping Luna support Ginny as we dragged her to another door that Harry and the others were lunging for. "Crap, crap, crap-" I said quickly as we dove through it.

"Shut it!" Harry screamed as Neville slammed the door behind us. He locked it just in time for us to hear Bellatrix's body slam against the wood. I turned around, realizing that we were back in the brain room and that there were other doors all along the walls...

"Lock the other doors!" I ordered, pulling out my wand as I moved. Neville, Luna, Harry, and I hurried, desperate to get to the other doors before the Death Eaters could. No sooner had Neville locked a door then Death Eaters slammed against it. It had been a close one. If only I could see which doors they were coming to, if only I had my power-

"_Collo- ahhh!_"

I heard Luna scream, her voice carried as she was thrown back against a table, falling unconscious. "No," I muttered, ducking down with Neville behind a shelf.

"Harry look!" Ron called out to his friend, gesturing towards the brains. "Look at that!"

"Ron, stop," Harry yelled, tugging on the boy's arm as he dodged a spell. "Get down!"

"Look at the brains! _Accio brains!_"

"Ron, NO!"

Everyone in the room seemed to freeze as the brains rose out of their case, soaring through the air towards Ron as they unwound themselves, slowly moving forward before they began to wrap themselves around Ron's neck- "Stop," Ron was crying out. "Stop!"

"Ron!"

"Harry help him-" Ginny called out. But moments later, she was knocked unconscious, hit by a jet of red light. Harry began to run, sprinting out of the room as he held the prophecy tightly in his hand, probably hoping to lead the Death Eaters away. Neville lunged towards Ron; the Death Eaters lumbered after Harry. He was alone. He needed my help. And so I followed them.

I entered the big stone room soon enough to see Harry clambering to his feet, glaring at Lucius Malfoy as he blond pulled off his mask with a sneer. They were too far away; I couldn't hear anything. I had to get closer, to move to help Harry-

"Where do you think you're going, Mudblood?" a voice hissed in my ear.

I turned with a yelp, but it was too late. The Death Eater had already grabbed me by the shoulders, shoving me back against a wall. My head hit the stone and I blinked, my vision clouding-

_They were dueling before me. Tonks, Kingsley, Moody, Lupin, Dumbledore..._

_And Sirius._

_Harry was watching from behind one of the stone benches with Neville as his godfather dueled with Bellatrix, an almost happy look on his face as he exercised his first real bit of freedom since he escaped Azkaban to its fullest. He was actually having fun-_

_And then one of Bellatrix's spells hit him, knocking him back into the veil as he fell to his death-_

"NO!" I screamed, coming back to myself at last. My visions had returned; I could see the future again. But was it too late? "Harry!" I called out, only to have the Death Eater that still had me captive throw his hand over my mouth.

"Now, now, Mudblood," he breathed. "Can't have you ruining all of my fun, can you? Stay quiet, now, and I may just let you live after our... encounter," he said with a laugh. "Mudbloods really aren't my type, you know, but I think I'll make an exception for you..."

But I didn't care. Sirius was going to die. I had to warn Harry. He had to stop Sirius from coming here; he had to leave the room! As the Death Eater before me reached down, unbuttoning the front of his robe, a cracking sound filled the air. He jerked back. "What the-"

Through the door burst the Order members, the same ones from my vision. My heart sunk; it was coming. I had to warn them. "Sirius!" I called out, hoping to drive him away. "Siri- Mm!"

"No you don't, you little bitch," he snarled, wrapping his hand around my throat. His thumb pressed over my larynx, and I couldn't breath. "You'll pay for breaking your sil-"

He stopped talking, slumping forward all of a sudden as I gasped for air, pushing him off of me. I looked up to see Sirius coming towards me, his eyes wide with concern. "You okay, Avery? He didn't actually..." he trailed off as I gasped for breath, letting the insinuation speak for him.

But I ignored his questioning, grabbing the front of his robes as I tried to plead with him. "Sirius," I said as his hands came up to steady me. "You have to leave, now!"

He blinked, clearly surprised by my outburst. "Why? Are you hurt? If you stay right here, Dumbledore will be along in a minute to-"

"No!" I protested, my voice raising a notch. "Sirius _you_ need to leave. If you don't you're going to-"

But I was cut off as before me, one of the stone seats blew up. A chunk of the rock flew towards me, striking me in the head, and I had just enough time to notice Sirius lunge forward to catch me as I fell into an unconscious oblivion.

* * *

Happy Thanksgiving! This chapter is a little shorter than normal, but I really wanted to update on the holiday, so here it is! I'll have the next chapter up sometime early next week, so look out for that!

If you're bored and looking for something to read, check out my Nanowrimo story for this year called Fragments, The chapters are short, and I'm posting the third one tomorrow, so you haven't missed anything. Check it out! And a special thanks to brilliantblonde for reading and reviewing it!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, GumiBeaOnAShortBus, Devil Nightmare, arrowheadhunter, Lena85, SerbiaTakesCntrl, julieakaweirdo, laurelley, and Invierna. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	20. Knowledge

_Previously..._

_But I ignored his questioning, grabbing the front of his robes as I tried to plead with him. "Sirius," I said as his hands came up to steady me. "You have to leave, now!"_

_He blinked, clearly surprised by my outburst. "Why? Are you hurt? If you stay right here, Dumbledore will be along in a minute to-"_

_"No!" I protested, my voice raising a notch. "Sirius you need to leave. If you don't you're going to-"_

_But I was cut off as before me, one of the stone seats blew up. A chunk of the rock flew towards me, striking me in the head, and I had just enough time to notice Sirius lunge forward to catch me as I fell into an unconscious oblivion._

_

* * *

_

I woke up disoriented, my head pounding with pain. A groan escaped me as I moved my hand up to grasp my head, and it was with that movement that I realized I was somehow in a bed...

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Miss Nouvelli."

I knew that voice. I _definitely _knew that voice. My eyes opened slowly, my vision unfocused for a moment before they locked on Professor Snape. He was sitting in a chair besides my bed, a thick potions text in his lap as he stared down at me. "Wha-" I tried to get out. My throat was dry, however, so I swallowed and tried again. "Where am I?"

"The Hospital Wing," he said, placing his book on the table by my bed. "You've been unconscious for a few hours."

I certainly had a good enough reason to be in there; my head was pounding, and there was already some bruising on my throat from where the Death Eater had grabbed me. I looked over his shoulder, my vision growing clearer as I saw Ron and Hermione laying in separate beds across the room, both of them fast asleep. "Oh," I whispered, trying not to wake them.

He noticed my silence and shook his head. "They're both fine. They've been given Dreamless Sleep potions, so they shan't wake for a long time."

I bit my lip, casting my mind back to earlier in the evening. Some of the details were fuzzy, but... "Luna? Neville? Ginny? And Harry, oh god, Harry! Are they okay? What hap-"

"All are fine, Miss Nouvelli," he reassured. "Dumbledore is speaking with Potter now. Everyone is well, despite the utter stupidity of the stunt that you pulled."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you sitting here just to yell at me?"

"No," he said, leaning forward slightly in his chair. "Though that would be a sufficient reason, I assure you. How you could be so asinine..." He sighed. "Professor Dumbledore wishes for me to keep an eye on you. He says that since I've been training with you recently, I should be able to tell if the events in the Department of Mysteries has... affected your magic."

I blinked, sitting up slowly. "I feel fine," I said, flexing my wrist. I winced. "A little sore, but fine."

He grimaced. "That's for me to judge, isn't it?"

"Well, yes but I thought I'd make it a little easier on you. Maybe save you the trouble of searching-" But I cut myself off, my eyes widening in horror as the memory of the previous night's events came crashing back to me. The Death Eaters. Ron and the brains. The prophecy. Lucius Malfoy. Sirius.

No.

"Wait," I said, my breath coming out quickly as my eyes snapped to his face. "Please, please tell me he's alive. Tell me he's okay-"

Snape's brow furrowed as looked down at me. "I believe I've already told you that all of your friends are fine, Miss Nouvelli."

But I was already shaking my head. "Sirius," I gasped out. "Tell me he's all right. Tell me he's alive." Silence, however, met my pleading, and it was then that I knew. "No," I whispered, bringing my hands up to cover my mouth.

"Potter was quite distraught by it," he spoke, his voice lowering. "I suppose he wasn't aware of how his anger was affecting his judgement-"

But I was no longer listening. "No!" I wailed, as tears began to form. He was dead. He was gone. I had failed.

Snape frowned. "You do realize that you're doing a rather poor job of convincing me that you're truly 'fine,' don't you? I know you got along well with him, but I hardly see-"

"It's my fault," I muttered as the tears began to fall. "It's all my fault."

Snape actually looked taken aback for a moment as he observed my face. "What?" he inquired, a look of incredulous wonder on his face. "How, in the name of Merlin, could this possibly be-"

"I knew!" I lamented, leaning back against the pillows. "I saw it! When I was down in the Department o Mysteries... I saw that it would happen... I tried to warn him. I tried to tell.. But he was too concerned about me. He asked if I'd been hurt... assaulted. But I had to-" I stopped speaking as sobs ran through my body once more.

Snape spoke, his voice quiet. "It's not your fault, Miss Nouvelli."

I shook my head. "I was too late! I tried to tell him, but I was too late!"

"You were knocked unconscious, Miss Nouvelli," Snape insisted. "_That_'s hardly your fault."

"Fine then," I said, lowering my hands to glare at him. "Then I should have listened to you! I should have stayed behind, gone back with you, taken the antidote... I could have warned them! We could have told Sirius not to come-"

"He wouldn't have listened."

But I kept crying, speaking through my tears. "I could have not taken the potion in the f-first place," I muttered, my voice coming out in short gasps. "I c-could have denied that I was a S-seer right off the b-bat. I could have not angered F-firenze and stopped myself from _needing _the potion-"

"Then following your logic, Miss Nouvelli," he said, his voice icy. "I am also to blame. I allowed him to go. I didn't stop him-"

"But how could you have known!" I shouted. "You're not a Seer! You can't see the future. You didn't have the capacity to know. But I did! I did, and he's dead. That means it's my fault."

My gaze was locked on his own, and he slowly shook his head. "You cannot blame yourself, Miss Nouvelli. It's fruitless."

I nodded, shutting my eyes. "Because it's too late."

"No!" he said sharply, his hand reaching out to grab a hold of my chin. He roughly forced my face in his direction, and I slowly opened my eyes. "Because Black made his choice. He knew that he was risking his life. If he was not prepared to die, he would not have come." He released me, settling back into his chair. "I repeat: It's not your fault."

But he was wrong. Sirius' blood would always be on my hands.

However, I could see that he wasn't going to budge. And so, I nodded. "Now then," he said, giving me a stern glance. "How is your head?"

I sniffed, leaning back against the headboard of my bed as the tears continued to fall, though silently now. "All right, I guess."

He gave me a long, hard look for a moment before sighing. He reached over, grabbing the box of tissues that rested on the table by my bed, and in a surprising moment of compassion, he held the box out to me. "Here," he said, rather unceremoniously shoving the box into my hands.

I blinked. This could almost be considered an act of care, coming from him. "Thanks."

He grabbed his book. "Of course," he said, opening the pages once more. "Anything so you'll stop your infernal sniffling,"

* * *

The wizarding world was in a tizzy. Voldemort was in the public spotlight again, as officials finally announced that he was, indeed, back. Hermione and I, however, just rolled our eyes at their stupidity. "Took them bloody well long enough," I muttered.

She smiled, caressing her side where bandages were wrapped. "You sound incredibly British."

I shrugged. "Britain's officially at war. I need to blend in."

A dark look overcame her face, though. "I wouldn't say that we're officially at war. Just because the ministry has announced Voldemort's return, that doesn't mean he doesn't have supporters within the Ministry itself. I have a feeling that there won't be much headway made against Voldemort anytime soon."

The end of term was quickly approaching, and students were suddenly fiercely glued to each others' sides. It was as if the proclamation of Voldemort's return had scared them, making them wonder if this would, in fact, be the last ever school year they'd have with their friends.

A war had begun, and people would die.

It was to be expected, of course, but that didn't make it any easy to bare, especially since the first casualty had come because of me. Harry was still quiet and withdrawn from Sirius' death; it was as if a part of him couldn't believe that his godfather was truly gone. Part of him ached for revenge against Bellatrix, but he also blamed himself. But he shouldn't have. He couldn't have known.

But I did.

* * *

I held off on packing, choosing instead to do it the morning of the day I'd leave. I would be flooing home, so I didn't have any incredible time constraints that would force me to pack earlier.

As everyone packed, I decided to instead spend my time walking along the grounds. The skies were cloudy; rain appeared imminent. A harsh wind rippled the water over the top of the lake, and I could see birds in the distance flock to the safety of trees. A storm was approaching; I could feel it. I sighed to myself. "And so it begins."

"Quite right you are, Miss Nouvelli."

I turned to see Snape approaching, a rather grim look upon his face. "Professor," I asked, turning back to watch the water. "What brings you out here in this weather?"

"You do," he said simply, stopping besides me. He faced the lake, his eyes gazing over the water. "He knows."

I blinked, slightly irritated by his vagueness. "I'll need a _little_ more to go on, Professor."

He sighed. "The Dark Lord," he said at last. "He knows that the Ultimate Power walks among us."

I snapped my head to face him, my eyes wide. "How?"

"The night in the Department of Mysteries," he explained, keeping his head straight. "Your prophecy broke. Lucius Malfoy heard it. _He_ thought nothing of it, but the Dark Lord... he attributes you to his failure to kill Potter in the graveyard."

I nodded, swallowing. "But he doesn't know it's me?"

"Yet."

I stepped back, turning around to make my way back to the castle. "Well," I said softly as I left him. "So much for that little advantage."

* * *

"You have to write us," Ginny said, giving me a hug. "I mean it! We need to know that you're safe, okay?"

"Of course," I said, as behind her, the Hogwarts Express whistled. "You know I will. You better hurry up, or all of the good seats will be taken." Harry and Ron were already on the train. Ginny climbed in to go find them, but Hermione hung back. "Well," I said softly.

But she spoke quickly. "We'll probably be at the Burrow for the majority of the summer. Find us when you can."

I nodded. "Thanks," I said softly. "I have a feeling I'll be seeing you pretty soon."

"You have to be careful," she said, her voice taking on a lower tone. "Please, Avery. Life isn't safe anymore. The world... Anything can happen. Don't leave anything to chance."

But I smiled grimly at her. "Don't worry," I said as the train whistled once more. "I know. I've already begun to take precautions."

* * *

I knocked on the door to Dumbledore's office a few hours later, my trunk by my feet. I was going home. For now, anyways. "Come in!" Dumbledore's voice called cheerfully through the wood.

I pushed the door open, prepared to face the sight of him working at his desk, or eating a lemon drop. But no. Instead, he was sitting amicably and drinking tea with Bill Weasley.

Aw, crap.

I swallowed. "Professor," I said weakly. "I'm, uh, here to leave."

"Wonderful!" he said, his eyes twinkling as he stood. "And you shall. In just a moment. Fawkes has just informed me, you see, that Mr. Shacklebolt is in the Great Hall, so if you'll excuse me, I shall be right back." Before I could even open my mouth, he was gone, leaving me alone with Bill.

And I'll repeat: Aw, crap.

Silence stretched between us. In truth, I had almost forgotten about Bill completely. Ever since the showdown at the Ministry, he hadn't exactly been high on my list of priorities. But now, as I stood there and watched him...

He was strong, handsome, and casual, his blue eyes shinning in front of me, tempting me. So beautiful, so perfect, so... Bill. But he was also a liar, a cheater, and a coward. He broke my heart, and I couldn't just forgive him for that.

But the silence continued to stretch out before us, and I couldn't take it. Even when I was working with Snape, the quiet didn't last this long; we'd find something to argue about. So I glanced up, my gaze skillfully avoiding his own as I tapped my finger quickly against my arm. "Boy," I muttered to myself. "Isn't this awkward?"

I could hear him sigh, feel him take a step towards me. But as he moved, so did I, taking a step backwards. "Avery-"

"What are you even doing here?" I asked, hoping to stop any conversations that might follow about our feelings.

He ran his hand through his hair, combing its long tresses with his fingers. "Order business," he said shortly. "Remus is also stopping by."

I nodded. "Ah," I said quietly, before silence overtook us once more.

He let the quietude commence, but then he crossed his arms. "Avery-" he tried again.

"No," I said, refusing to let him speak. "I don't... I don't want to talk about this."

"But-"

"How could you even think I'd _want _to discuss this? You hurt me, Bill," I said, my eyes finally meeting his own. "You... didn't even have the courtesy to break up with me at all. How did you think I'd take it? How could you even _presume_ that would be okay?"

"I wasn't thinking-"

"Obviously not," I muttered darkly.

"Avery," he said, stepping closer to me. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I should have... I should have handled things differently. But you were just so young-"

"You cheated on me because of my age," I asked with incredulousness.

He shrugged, shaking his head slightly. "I wasn't sure how you'd take rejection. I thought it would be easier-"

"And you were obviously right," I snapped. "That's why I'm so damn cheerful right now!"

His eyes began to smolder as he frowned at me. "You've been hanging out with Snape too much!"

"Yeah? Well at least he's honest with me!" I shot back.

"You want honesty, do you? Then I'll give you honesty," he said with fury, raising his voice. "Fleur and I are getting married!"

I stepped back, all of the anger leaving me as a numbness took hold. "I- What?"

He paused, seeming to realize what he'd said as he sighed. "I shouldn't have told you this way." He stepped closer to me. "Look-"

"No," I said, stepping back. "I'd really rather you didn't."

"Avery-"

"All right, now," Dumbledore said, bursting back into his office with Shacklebolt at his heels. I hurried further away from Bill, heading towards the fireplace. "Mr. Shacklebolt shall accompany you back to LA, Miss Nouvelli. Are you ready to leave?"

I nodded, grabbing hold of my trunk. "The sooner the better," I said, avoiding the wounded gaze of my ex as I took the offered floo powder from Dumbledore.

* * *

Can you guys believe it? This story is almost done! I'm so excited to be finishing it; next up is the epilogue, during which I'll post the title of the next story... So look out for that! Not only that, but this has over a hundred and fifty reviews! I'm amazed! You guys are awesome, really!

In other news, it was my birthday on Tuesday! I'm officially 18. W00T!

If you're bored and looking for something to read, check out my Nanowrimo story for this year called Fragments, The chapters are short, and I'm posting the third one tomorrow, so you haven't missed anything. Check it out! And a special thanks to brilliantblonde for reading and reviewing it!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, kankananime123, laurenlopezforever, Devil Nightmare, arrowheadhunter, LRN415, Reg53, xxbabyxox, SerbiaTakesCntrl, julieakaweirdo, laurelley, and Invierna. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


	21. Epilogue

_Previously..._

_"You want honesty, do you? Then I'll give you honesty," he said with fury, raising his voice. "Fleur and I are getting married!"_

_I stepped back, all of the anger leaving me as a numbness took hold. "I- What?"_

_He paused, seeming to realize what he'd said as he sighed. "I shouldn't have told you this way." He stepped closer to me. "Look-"_

_"No," I said, stepping back. "I'd really rather you didn't."_

_"Avery-"_

_"All right, now," Dumbledore said, bursting back into his office with Shacklebolt at his heels. I hurried further away from Bill, heading towards the fireplace. "Mr. Shacklebolt shall accompany you back to LA, Miss Nouvelli. Are you ready to leave?"_

_I nodded, grabbing hold of my trunk. "The sooner the better," I said, avoiding the wounded gaze of my ex as I took the offered floo powder from Dumbledore._

* * *

I arrived at the Bauer household a few minutes later, flooing to their fireplace. Tyler was passing through the room at the moment, and he jumped in surprise as I burst through the fire, nearly dropping the soda he held in the process.

"Jesus, Avery," he said, shaking his head. "What the _hell _are you doing, sneaking up on me during times like these?"

I raised an eyebrow. "So you've heard, have you? About our little adventure in the Ministry?"

His mouth dropped open. "That was _you_? I mean, the paper said that a few Hogwarts students broke into the Ministry with Harry Potter to combat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but-"

"Ty," I interrupted. "You forgot the most important part. _With Harry Potter._ Of course I was there."

He blinked. "Right, sorry. I guess that was kind of-" He stopped speaking as the fire flared to life once more, Kingsley Shacklebolt stepping out behind me. Ty frowned. "Avery... What's going on?"

I glanced behind me. "Meet Kingsley Shacklebolt," I said. The two of them shook hands, Tyler giving the man an appraising look. "Mr. Shacklebolt, this is Ty."

Shacklebolt smiled. "A pleasure."

"The same," Tyler said politely. Then he turned to me. "Avery, what's going on? I haven't seen you in months, I've barely spoken to you all year, and now you turn up out of the blue with some British wizard-"

"He's an Auror," I interjected. "And he's here to do me a favor."

Ty raised an eyebrow. "What sort of favor?"

But I just shook my head. "The kind that I can't really tell you about."

"It's serious then."

I nodded. "It is." I made a move to step around him, but something stopped me. Maybe it was the fact that I'd barely seen him in the past year. Maybe it was my guilt over having so many secrets. Maybe it was my fear over the upcoming year... Whatever the reason, I sighed, turning to him. "I'm sorry, you know," I said softly. "About what happened between us last December-"

But he was already shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. I know you were going through a... rough patch. It's understandable."

"But-"

"There's nothing to forgive," he said, giving me a slight smile. He paused. "Say, now that you're back, do you still want me to watch over your family?"

I bit my lip, contemplating his words. "No," I said slowly. "It's unnecessary. I've made... other arrangements."

He looked slightly taken aback. "Such as?"

But I just shook my head. "Tell Darcy I'm sorry, won't you?"

His eyes widened. "Avery? What are you going to do? What-"

But Shacklebolt and I were already almost out the door. "I'm going to go to war," I said, before leaving him alone.

* * *

"Avery!" my mother called, throwing her arms around me. "Honey, come here! Avery's home!"

I laughed, wrapping my own arms around her. "Miss me, mom?"

"More than ever," she said as my dad and little sister entered the room.

"Avery!"

I smiled up at him. "Hey, daddy."

"It's so good that you're back," he said, kissing the top of me head. He glanced over my shoulder. "And you've brought a guest."

I looked back at Shacklebolt. "Yeah, he's... Well, he's here to visit."

My mother reached for his hand, grasping it warmly. "It's so nice to meet you. Any friend of Avery's is a friend of ours. Will you be staying for dinner?"

Shacklebolt blinked. "Well..."

"He will be," I interrupted. "But I won't."

My sister frowned, running her hand through her hair. "You're kidding! Why? Do you have to meet up with Tyler and Darcy?"

But I just shook my head. "Actually, I'm going back to England."

Silence met my announcement. I honestly think that for a moment, no one was really sure that they'd heard me right. Finally, my dad spoke. "I'm sorry," he said slowly. "But _what the hell did you say_?"

"Dad," I said laying a hand on his arm. "Things have changed-"

"Like hell they have!"

"Dad," I said more firmly, tightening my hold on his arm. "You're leaving LA."

"I- What?"

Well _that_ had certainly gotten his attention. I sighed, sitting down in one of the chairs in the living room, waiting for the rest of my family to do the same. I didn't want to send them away. I knew they'd have to start over in their lives, and for them to do that... It would be horrible. But at the same time, this was my only option. I had to keep them safe. I took a deep breath and began. "There's a war, and it's escalating. The prophecy... It's starting to come to light. I'm in danger, which means that just by being related to me, you're in danger."

"So we're going into hiding?" my mother asked, quickly picking up on the situation.

I nodded. "Yes."

"But," Candi said, her eyes wide. "But what about my friends? My school? You can't _seriously _be asking me to restart my life somewhere else-"

"Under a different identity?" I completed for her. "Yes, actually, I can. That's why Mr. Shacklebolt is here," I said, gesturing towards him. "He's going to escort you to the safe location."

"When do we leave?" my father asked quietly.

"Dad!" my sister protested.

Shacklebolt spoke up. "As soon as humanly possible, actually."

He nodded slowly before sighing. "Then we should go and pack. Avery, when you finish boxing up the things in your room, would you mind packing up the den? It'll go faster if... Why are you shaking your head?" he asked tentatively, as if he was afraid of the answer.

"You obviously didn't hear me before dad. I'm not going with you," I murmured.

"No!" my mother blurted out. "You're not... You said there was a war! You can't go back to that-"

"I have to, mom. I have to do this."

"Avery Nouvelli, I forbid you from going! You can't-"

But I was already shaking my head, backing up towards the door. My chest tightened as I spoke. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "But this is for the best. I love you all. Remember that," I said, my voice cracking on the last syllable as tears threatened to run down my cheeks.

"AVERY!" My dad stood, pushing past Shacklebolt to try and reach me, but it was too late.

"You won't see me for awhile," I said as the tears began to fall from my cheeks. "Maybe not ever again, if Mr. Shacklebolt does as good of a job at hiding you as I hope he does. But you'll be safe. And that's all that matters."

"AVERY!"

But I was already changing into my shadow form, darting out the door and into the light, where I would hurry back to Ty's house, floo to the Burrow in England, and cut off my family completely from my life. I would save them. They would not suffer because of their connection to me. They wouldn't die like Sirius did.

And so, I headed off to war, leaving my family and my past behind.

* * *

I am in awe. This is finally completed! After nearly a year of working on this, finally, it's done! Thank you so much to everyone for reading and reviewing! It really means a lot to me! As for the next one in the series, the title is...

Collide.

I hope you all are looking forward to reading it as much as I'm looking forward to writing it. The prologue should be posted sometime next week.

If you're bored and looking for something to read, check out my Nanowrimo story for this year called Fragments, The chapters are short, and I'm posting the third one tomorrow, so you haven't missed anything. Check it out! And a special thanks to brilliantblonde for reading and reviewing it!

Thank you to all of my reviewers last chapter. You are all amazing: brilliantblonde, XxX Fred Weasley's Wife XxX, GumiBearOnAShortBus, wild-in-spirit, crystalbluewolve, Devil Nightmare, arrowheadhunter, HermioneandMarcus, imposter17, Unconquerable, SerbiaTakesCntrl, julieakaweirdo, Lily Luna Snape Riddle, and Invierna. I really appreciate it!

So please encourage me to update faster and RER: Read it, Enjoy it, Review it... And I Love it! Really, I do.

Lurve,

-Selene


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